f 


■ Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 
Duke  University  Libraries 


https://archive.org/details/storyofstonewall01chas 


STORY  OF 


STONEWALL  JACKSON. 

A NARRATIVE 

OF  THE 

Career  of  Thomas  Jonathan  (Stonewall)  Jackson,  From 
Written  and  Verbal  Accounts,  of  His  Life. 
Approved  by  His  Widow, 

MARY  ANNA  JACKSON. 


DEDICATED  TO 

Julia  Jackson  and  Thomas  Jackson  Christian,  Grandchildren  and 
Sole  Surviving  Descendants  of  General  Jackson, 

Who  are  Made  Beneficiaries  in  the 
Publication  of  This  Book. 


BY  WILLIAM  C.  CHASE. 


INTRODUCTORY  LETTERS  BY 

Generals  Wade  Hampton,  Stephen  D.  Lee,  and  W.  S.  Cabell. 

SKETCHES  BY 

Generals  Fitzhugh  Lee,  Wheeler  and  Others. 

REVIEWED  BY 

Hon.  F.  H.  Richardson,  Editor  Atlanta  Journal, 
Illustrated  by  Devolso. 


ATLANTA,  GA.: 

D.  E.  LUTHER  PUBLISHING  COMPANY, 
1901. 


Copyright,  1901. 


BY 

E.  H.  THORNTON, 
Atlanta,  Ga. 


All  Rights  Reserved. 


Presses  of 

FOOTE  & DAVIES  CO., 
Atlanta,  Ga. 


<^Z  '3 , ? 3 

1 


TO 

JULIA  AND  JACKSON  CHRISTIAN, 

GRANDCHILDREN 

AND 

SOLE  SURVIVING  DESCENDANTS 

OF 

GENERAL  JACKSON 

THIS  BOOK  IS  AFFECTIONATELY  DEDICATED. 


^ X 5 b O 


INDEX 


STORY  OF  STONEWALL  JACKSON- 


CHAPTER  II. — The  Childhood  of  Jackson.  Marriage  and  Death 

of  His  Mother.  His  Long  Walk  to  Cummins  Jackson 57 

CHAPTER  HI. — Early  Responsibilities.  School  Days.  Boyhood 

and  Characteristics  7^ 

CHAPTER  IV. — Jackson  Plays  Robinson  Crusoe  on  Mississippi 

River  Island  When  a Boy  Under  Ten  Years  of  Age 76 

CHAPTER  V. — Deputy-Sheriff  at  Age  of  Eighteen,  His  old 

Blacksmith  Friend.  West  Point  Looms  Up  82 

CHAPTER  VI. — Leaves  for  U.  S.  Military  Academy.  His  First 

Year  at  West  Point 93 

CHAPTER  VII. — Second  Year  at  U.  S.  Military  Academy.  “You 

May  Be  Whatev'er  You  Resolve  10  Be.”  His  Maxims 101 

CHAPTER  VIH. — In  Mexican  War,  1846-1847 116 

CHAPTER  IX. — His  Military  Residence  in  City  of  Mexico.  Re- 
view of  his  Religious  Associations  Begun  in  Mexico 123 

CHAPTER  X. — After  a Short  Stay  on  Long  Island.  His  Order 
to  Florida.  Resigns  from  Army  and  goes  to  the  V.  M.  I., 

Lexington,  Va 136 

CHAPTER  XI  — Marriage.  His  First  Effort  ai  Public  Prayer. 

Compared  to  Famous  Christian  Soldiers 150 

CHAPTER  XH. — His  Social  Habits.  Reference  to  Some  of  the 

Errors  Concerning  Jackson,  and  a Statement  of  Facts 156 

CHAPTER  XIII. — Visits  his  Sister.  Returns  to  Lexington  and 

Resumes  his  Church  Work  and  Teaching. 164 

CHAPTER  XIV. — Visits  Europe.  Writes  of  his  Tour.  His 

Method  of  Teaching ; 174 

CHAPTER  XV. — Second  Marriage.  Description  of  Jackson  by 

Mrs.  Jackson,  and  Other  Notes  by  Mrs.  Jackson. 179 

CHAPTER  XVI. — Execution  of  John  Brown.  Jackson  in  Com- 
mand of  Artillery  There.  War  Clouds.  He  Deplores  War, 
Pleads  for  Peace.  Few  of  his  Views  as  to  the  South’s  With- 
drawing from  the  Ui^n.  Histories 197 


CHAPTER  XVII. — “Peace?  Peace?  There  is  no  Peace!”  Jack- 

son  Called  to  the  Front.  His  Last  Days  at  Lexington 204 


271863 


Index. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. — Assigned  to  a Position  Inferior  to  his  Abili- 
ties, Military  Dignity  and  Rights.  Notes  on  Official  Treat- 
ment of  Jackson  at  Beginning  of  War.  Should  Have  Been 
Made  a Brigadier  or  Major  General,  if  not  a Lieuteuant-Gen- 

eral  from  the  First 215 

CHAPTER  XIX. — Stonewall  Brigade.  Saves  a Locomotive.  In 
Second  as  ia  First  Engagement  Won  a Victory.  Northern 

and  Southern  Personnel  and  Other  Features  Compared 224 

CHAPTER  XX. — The  Lone  Sentry.  March  to  Manassas. 
Wounded,  but  Refuses  to  Leave  the  Field.  Davis  and  Jack- 

son.  Sends  Money  to  his  Negro  Sunday-School 240 

CHAPTER  XXL — Northern  and  Southern  Comments  on  Conduct 

of  Certain  Persons  Associated  with  Manassas  Battle 256 

CHAPTER  XXII. — Mrs.  Jackson  Visits  her  Husband  in  Camp. 
Writes  Letters  to  Officers  of  V.  M.  I.  at  Lexington.  His 
Longing  for  Peace.  Appointed  Major-General.  Farewell 
Address  to  Stonewall  Brigade.  Prayers  in  Camp.  Jackson 
Prays  and  Reads  from  the  Bible.  Talks  Nearly  all  Night  with 
His  Former  Pastor.  Comment  on  Treatment  of  Non-com- 
batants  271 

CHAPTER  XXIII. — Romney  Campaign.  Winter  and  Suffering. 
Criticism.  Jackson  Resigns.  A Thrilling  Episode  in  which 
Jackson’s  Mighty  Spirit  Flashed  its  Indignation.  Apologized 
to,  and  Urged  from  all  Parts  of  the  Country  to  Reconsider 
' Resignation.  He  Complies.  Compared  with  George  Wash- 


ington  282 

CHAPTER  XXIV. — Jackson  at  Winchester.  A Few  Personal 
and  Social  Incidents.  Views  upon  Fortifications.  Battle  of 
Kernstown.  Rapid  Marching 309 


CHAPTER  XXV. — Congress  Adopts  His  Suggestions.  Changing 
Order  and  System  of  Army  Promotions.  Battle  of  McDow- 
ell. A Description  of  Jackson.  The  Most  Brilliant  Cam- 
paign in  Military  History.  The  Valley  Campaign  is  Entered.  325 


CHAPTER  XXVI. — On  with  Jackson’s  Valley  Campaign 354 

CHAPTER  XXVII. — Jackson  and  his  Men  Celebrate  the  Lord’s 

Supper.  First  Instance  in  History  of  its  Celebration  in  Camp. 

Officially  Designates  his  Foe  as  Invaders 374 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. — Ordered  to  Aid  in  Defence  of  Richmond. 

His  Adroit  March.  Seven  Days’  Battles  Around  Richmond. 
Jackson’s  Marvelous  Vision  as  to  McClellan’s  Defeat 381 


CHAPTER  XXIX. — Leaves  Richmond  and  Soon  Meets  Pope,  the 
Boaster.  Notes  upon  the  Trials  of  the  Times.  The  South — 

Its  Historic  Grandeur  and  Splendid  Civilization  and  Wealth.  410 


Index. 


CHAPTER  XXX, — Cedar  Mountain  Battle.  First  Time  Jackson 
Drew  his  Sword  in  Battle.  Second  Battle  of  Manassas. 
Captured  Two  Miles  of  Trains  Loaded  with  Supplies.  Mary- 
land Campaign.  Never  Neglect  the  Veterans.  Wealth  and 

Conservatism  South 420 

CHAPTER  XXXI. — Battle  of  Fredericksburg,  in  which  is  Defeated 
the  Greatest  Army  Ever  Assembled  on  the  American  Conti- 
nent up  to  that  Time.  Burnside  Defeated,  Making  Eight 
Generals  Defeated  by  Jackson.  Winter  Campaign  at  Moss 
Neck.  Northern  Press  Comments  and  Foreign  Press  Com- 
ments..   456 

CHAPTER  XXXH. — Battle  of  Chancellorsville.  Jackson’s  Grand 
Flank  Movement.  Wounded  by  his  Own  Men  in  the  Night 
Battle  and  Taken  from  the  Field  under  Fire.  The  World 
Shocked  and  Grieved.  Jackson’s  Last  Dispatch  and  Order.  500 
CHAPTER  XXXHI. — Account  of  the  Accident  that  Caused  his 
Death.  His  Wife  Summoned.  Detailed  Description  of  his 
Last  Days.  General  Lee’s  and  the  Army’s  Grief . “Let  Us 
Cross  Over  the  River  and  Rest  under  the  Shade  of  the 
Trees,”  His  Last  Words.  Forty  Years  and  the  Future 510 


INDEX  TO  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

General  Jackson’s  grandchildren  (sole  living  descendants) 47 

Jackson’s  birth-place;  Jackson’s  father  and  father’s  grave 48 

House  in  which  Jackson’s  mother  died.  In  West  Virginia  moun- 
tains   65 

Hawk’s  nest  near  burial-place  of  Jackson’s  mother  66 

Scenery  on  New  River  and  C.  & O.  R.  R.,  near  Ansted  W.  Va.  ...  67 

Jackson’s  mother’s  grave 68 

Jackson’s  eighteen-mile  walk  when  eight  years  old 85 

As  a “runaway”  on  an  island  in  Mississippi  River.  Old  mill  where 

Jackson  worked  when  a lad 86 

Entering  “West  Point:” 87 

Scenes  at  the  U.  S.  Military  Academy,  West  Point 88 

Scenes  at  the  U.  S.  Military  Academy,  West  Point 105 

Artillery  squad  at  Virginia  Military  Institute 106 

Scenes  associated  with  the  life  of  Jackson..  107 

The  Virginia  Military  Institute  and  Valley  of  Virginia 108 

The  Virginia  Military  Institute,  Lexington,  Va 125 

Jackson  Monument,  Lexington,  Va 126 

Washington  and  Lee  University,  Lexington,  Va  127 

Chapel  containing  General  Lee’s  Statue,  Lexington 128 

“Rest  Under  the  Shade  of  the  Trees.”  (Hymn  ) 131 

Foley’s  statue  of  Jackson.  First  capitol  of  Confederacy 132 

Jackson  at  age  of  twenty-four.  Jackson  (from  a portrait) 145 

Presbyterian  Church  and  Sunday-school  room,  Lexington 146 

Jackson’s  residence,  Lexington ' 147 

Memorial  Hall  (erected  in  memory  of  Jackson) 148 

Jackson  (pronounced  best  likeness  in  existence] 165 

Mary  Ann  Jackson  (two  pictures)  . . . 166 

Julia  Jackson  (two  pictures)..  . 167 

“Cottage  Home”  and  group  of  pictures  of  Jackson’s  only  child.  ..  . 168 

Bonnie  Blue  Flag 180 

Two  Capitols  of  the  Confederacy  and  White  House 185 

Medal  of  Stonewall  Brigade  and  the  flags  they  loVed 186 

General  Bee  (who  named  Jackson  “Stonewall”) 187 

“Stonewall”  Jackson  at  Manassas  ...  , 18S 

Scene  in  Shenandoah  Valley,  Virginia;  and  Harper’s  Ferry 205 

Monument  and  tablets  and  John  Brown  “Fort,”  Harper’s  Ferrj'.  ..  206 
Upper  Shenandoah  River,  Virginia  Valley 207 


Index. 


• 

Shenandoah  Valley,  Virginia 208 

“This  is  War” 225 

Sunset  on  Potomac  and  Virginia  Valley 226 

Shenandoah  Valley  227 

Jackson’s  monument 228 

Home  of  the  author  of  “DIXIE” ...  238 

Lower  Shenandoah  River.  The  ‘‘Lone  Sentry” ' 245 

Manassas  Battle 246 

Flight  of  Federal  troops  at  Manassas 247 

Potomac  and  Shenandoah  Rivers  248 

President  and  Commanding  General  of  the  Confederacy 265 

Davis  and  Jackson  at  Manassas  266 

Inspection  and  In  the  charge..  267 

Gen.  A.  P.  Hill  and  Major  Jed  Hotchkiss 268 

Valley  turnpike  and  battle-field  in  Valley 285 

Generals  Hood,  D.  H Hill  and  Barringer 286 

One  way  to  vamos:  “Who  said  I was  playing  cards.?’.’ 287 

Charles  Broadway  Rouse  (the  Confederate  philanthropist)  Daniel 

Decatur  Emmett  (author  of  “DIXIE.”) 288 

Drawing  cannons  up  the  mountains 291 

“Beat  the  Rally”  (episode  of  a drummer  boy) 305 

Dr.  Hunter  McGuire  and  General  Jackson  306 

Near  Winchester  Va ; Massanutten  Mountains 307 

Front  Royal  Va 308 

Camp  prayer-meeting 325 

Glimpse  of  Jackson 326 

In  the  Virginia  Valley ; Banks’  “Fort” 327 

On  the  battle-field,  Fisher’s  Hill ; Gen.  S.  D.  Lee 328 

Stonewall  Brigade  band. 345 

“On  the  rail”  r 3f6 

Night  amusement  in  camp 347 

Jackson  at  age  of  33  and  as  Lieutenant-General 348 

The  Lord’s  Supper  (only  instance  in  history  of  its  celebration  in 

camp).  365 

Battle  of  Frazier’s  Farm 366 

Charge  on  Randol’s  Battery 367 

Union  retreat  at  Chickahominy 368 

A soldier’s  burial 385 

“The  light  of  other  days”  (Confederate  candle) 386 

Refugeeing 387 

“Old  home,  etc.”  Scenes  i^  1865  and  a “faithful  defender.” 388 

Artillery  engagement 405 

Capture  of  supply-trains,  two  miles  long,  Manassas 406 

Starke’s  men  fighting  with  stones 407 

Jackson’s  friend 408 


Index.  . 


Wading  the  Potomac 425 

Libby  Prison  426 

Burning  ammunition-train;  prison  pen 427 

Foraging;  “The  hog’s  ourn” 428 

Jackson  at  Fredericksburg  battle 445 

Jackson  and  Dr.  McGuire — “Why  shoot  them!” 446 

Bombardment  of  Fredericksburg  447 

General  “Jeb”  Stuart  and  Major  Pelham 448 

Tattered  battle-flag.  Blessings  and  prayers 465 

Jackson  praying  over  his  infant’s  cradle 466 

Lee  and  Jackson,  night  before  Chancellorsville  battle 467 

Entering  tent  to  pray  468 

Jackson’s  last  war  dispatch 485 

Charge  at  Chancellorsville  battle 486 

Wounded — horse  runs  away  with  him 487 

Moving  Jackson  to  the  rear 488 

House  where  Jackson  died 505 

Room  in  which  he  died.  Last  photograph  of  Jackson 506 

Stone  and  monument  marking  spot  where  Jackson  fell 507 

“Little  Sorrel,”  Jackson’s  war-horse,  at  age  of  thirty  and  thirty-six.  508 

Last  meeting  of  Lee  and  Jackson 525 

Monument  at  Richmond 526 

Cabinet  in  the  Confederate  Museum,  Richmond,  containing  Jack- 

son  memorials *-527 

Jackson’s  grandchildren  (sole  living  descendants) 528 

Jackson  saves  life  of  President  McKinley 537 

Letter  from  Prof.  A.  B.  Hall 53^ 


INTRODUCTION. 


America  has  produced  many  great  men.  The  history  of  the 
American  people,  when  written  by  impartial  men,  will  form  a 
- world  code.  In  the  multitude  of  men  whose  lives  will  con- 
tribute the  materials  out  of  which  this  code  will  be  formed,  the 
career  of  Thomas  Jonathan  (“Stonewall”)  Jackson  will  con- 
stitute principles,  essence,  example  and  personality  that  will  il- 
luminate every  line  as  a law  within  itself,  and  his  life  form 
a chapter  unsurpassed. 

As  a child  he  possessed  characteristics  that  marked  him  as 
brave,  determined,  truthful,  spirited  and  ambitious. 

To  measure  him  by  the  plan  of  genius  would  be  both  diffi- 
cult and  unnecessary.  Geniuses  are  born,  not  made.  Great 
poets,  musicians,  authors,  sculptors,  scientists,  teachers,  invent- 
ors, orators  and  all  whose  lives  are  exemplifications  of  inborn 
genius  were  possessed  from  their  birth  of  the  elements  that 
finally  made  them  famous.  Biographers  tell  us  of  wonderful 
instances  of  precocity  in  the  prodigies  of  genius — of  poets, 
musicians,  artists  and  others  producing  creations  that  dazzled 
their  world  and  period.  There  is  nothing  in  Jackson’s  child- 
hood, as  far  as  account  is  given,  that  indicates  his  being  a gen- 
ius. But  there  is  in  his  characteristics  a force  which,  when 
joined  with  his  mind’s  ability,  raises  him  above  a genius. 

We  do  not  know  of  any  great  soldier,  even  Wellington,  Nel- 
son, Napoleon,  Hannibal  or  others,  whose  childhood  was  note- 
worthy as  displaying  martial  genius.  Hannibal  was  “devoted 
to  war  by  his  father  at  an  early  age,”  but  he  was  as  old  as 
either  Jackson,  Wellington  or  Napoleon  before  he  won  any 
distinction  as  a soldier ; in  fact,  considerably  older  than  Jack- 
son.  Circumstances  of  war  are  so  ordered  that  infantile  mili- 
tarism is  dispoiled  of  any  suggestion  of  genius.  We  have  all 
seen  juvenile  fantoccini  of  war,  brandished  with  a tin  sword, 
paper  helmet,  and  broom  handle  chargers,  but  we  do  not  know 
of  any  of  these  “embryo  generals”  distinguishing  themselves 
in  recent  wars.  Girls,  too,  but  no  Joans  of  Arc  so  far. 


When  the  United  States  iMilitary  Academy,  “West  Point.” 
was  suggested  to  Jackson, the  eighteen-year-oldyouth,although 
he  had  scarcely  been  out  of  the  Western  Virginia  Mountains 
and  although  his  educational  experiences  had  doubtless 
impressed  upon  him  the  fact  that  his  mind  was  both  slow  and 
strong,  and  his  facilities  for  learning  had  been  meagre,  he 
promptly  turned  his  face  toward  West  Point.  Whether  his 
ambition  soared  at  the  thought  of  military  opportunities  or  not, 
no  one  knows.  We  all  know,  however,  that  he  conquered  at 
West  Point ; and  after  winning  fame  in  actual  war,  resigned 
and  a.ssumed  the  task  of  teaching  in  an  institution  of  high  rank, 
and  succeeded.  Many  learned  that  his  seeming  taciturnity 
was  a mere  cover  or  mask,  and  like  Aquinas,  the  “Angelic 
Doctor  of  Cologne,”  his  silence  could  not  be  mistaken  for  stupid- 
ity. Jackson  resembled  Aquinas  in  other  respects.  We  have 
learned  that  his  confidence  in  himself  was  unshakable.  His 
mind  was  as  completely  under  his  mastery  as  were  his  muscles. 

It  has  been  said  he  displayed  no  genius  for  teaching,  but 
his  success  as  a teacher,  from  sheer  determination  and  applica- 
tion, adds  lustre  to  his  accomplishment  of  the  task  and  profes- 
sion. He  was  young  and  we  do  not  know  what  time  might 
have  brought  forth.  Histeaching  was  an  object  completely  ac- 
tualized, in  contradistinction  to  mere  potential  existence.  He 
knew  no  other  philosophy.  After  uniting  with  the  church,  he 
became  a part  of  it,  and  sufficient  account  is  given  of  his  church 
life  to  demonstrate  his  thoroughness  in  the  obligations  his 
membership  entailed  and  the  depths  of  his  religion.  He  be- 
came a student  of  theology,  and  had  he  determined  at  any  time 
to  engage  in  the  ministry,he  would  have  become  a distinguished 
divine.  He  was  possessed  of  energyq  ability  and  deep  con- 
victions ; added  to  which  was  an  intensity  resembling,  at  times, 
that  of  Spurgeon.  He  was  naturally  pious. 

As  an  orator,  although  battling  a shyness,  frequently  present 
with  profound  natures,  he  overcame  all  impediments,  and  like 
Demosthenes  developed  into  a speaker  of  attractive  address. 
He  held  the  Webster  theory  of  oratory — earnestness.  His 
truthfulness,  his  character  and  his  mental  poise  would  have  won 


( 


for  him  high  fame  in  the  forum.  His  analysis  of  state  affairs 
as  related  to  his  friend.  Dr.  Dabney,  and  given  in  this  book,  is 
but  a hint  of  his  conception  and  mastery  of  state  craft.  With 
nothing  of  the  politician,  he  was  a clear  reasoner,  philosopher 
and  prophet.  Had  he  possessed  Napoleon’s  “star,”  or  the  af- 
frontery  of  many  so-called  statesmen,  the  history  of  the  Union 
would  have  been  written  differently.  Like  Alexander  Stephens. 
Crawford,  Calhoun  and  Jefferson,  his  were  conservative  and 
devotional  plans  of  government.  His  rating  in  ethics  at  West 
Point  indicated  marked  ability  for  statesmanship. 

In  the  course  of  his  career  as  a professor  at  the  Virginia 
Military  Institute,  there  are  several  instances  related  wherein 
he  displayed  not  only  a knowledge  of  science,  in  many  of  its 
branches,  but  held  original  ideas  upon  principles  so  far  in  ad- 
vance of  his  time  that  his  reputation  for  eccentricity  was  in- 
creased by  his  utterances,  and  those  who  could  not  comprehend 
his  “advanced  ideas”  were  not  only  critical,  but  indulged  in 
ridicule  (not  to  Jackson  personally,  however — no  man  ever 
dared  to  ridicule  him  in  his  presence;  and  it  is  well  to  state 
just  here,  that  as  far  as  diligent  inquiry  reached,  we  have  been 
unable  to  learn  of  Jackson’s  ever  seeing  in  print  or  hearing  of 
the  ridiculous  accounts  some  have  attempted  to  add  to  litera- 
ture concerning  him).  In  a lecture  delivered  before  a learned 
audience  at  Lexington,  Virginia,  he  referred  to  electrical  trans- 
mission of  forces  or  power  as  a possibility  in  the  development 
of  the  then  new  science,  as  Morse  had  scarcely  established 
telegraphy  at  the  time.  Electric  transmission  of  power  from 
a distant  generative  point,  to  utilization  and  application  in 
motive  machinery,  is  now  considered  one  of  the  most  val- 
uable uses  of  electricity,  and  when  Jackson  delivered  the  lec- 
ture referred  to,  Tesla  and  others,  who  have  developed  this 
branch  of  electricity,  were  children.  As  a scientist,  he  would 
have  ranked  among  the  first  and  of  the  type  of  Agassiz. 

The  part  or  place  refined  arts — music,  sculpture  and  paint- 
ing— held  in  his  life,  adds  a charming  harmony  to  the  excel- 
lence of  the  man.  In  his  accounts  by  letter  and  journal,  of  his 
tour  of  Europe,  he  dwelt  with  brilliant  enthusiasm  upon  the 


art  of  the  countries  he  visited  ; while  music,  we  are  told,  thrilled 
and  met  in  him  an  ecstacy  of  response. 

In  his  literary  hours  he  gave  no  moment  to  inane  reading. 
Studious  and  progressive,  his  books  included  scholarly  pro- 
ductions covering  an  extensive  scope ; to  this  he  carefully 
added  personal  observation,  and  thus  became  an  original  and 
trained  thinker.  Had  his  inclinations  led  him  into  literature 
as  a profession,  he  would  have  ranked  among  the  savants  of 
his  century. 

With  his  conservatism,  close  adherence  to  detail  in  any  un- 
dertaking engaging  his  attention,  he  would  have  been  suc- 
cessful in  a commercial,  agricultural  or  financial  career.  His 
wonderful  military  frugality — and  he  was  a business-like  sol- 
dier and  commander,  as  is  shown  by  the  care  he  took  of  prop- 
erty assigned  to  his  army  or  captured  by  same — his  alertness 
in  despoiling  or  appropriating  the  armament  or  commissary  of 
his  enemy,  his  clear  and  unalterable  conviction  upon  the  value 
of  the  Virginia  Valley  as  a “storehouse,”  and  his  plan  to  “take 
the  enemy’s  cities  and  hold  them,”  show  something  of  the  scope 
of  his  material  qualities  and  appreciation  of  things. 

But  EVENTS,  fates  if  you  please,  wrote  the  word  “soldier”  as 
the  cardinal  synonym  for  Jackson.  To  this,  Jackson’s  sublime 
faith  in  God  added,  by  universal  acclaim,  the  sacred  and  im- 
perishable prefix — Christian. 

A distinguished  German  military  leader  referred  to  the 
“American  W'ar”  as  “a  riot ; the  disorganized  madness  of 
mobs.”  This  expression  from  that  great  empire’s  army  com- 
mander-in-chief was  indignantly  resented  by  the  Americans. 
But  from  the  standpoint  of  commanders  of  the  vast  and  rigidly 
organized,  trained  and  disciplined  armies  of  Europe,  some 
countries  having  a standing  army  of  over  half-million  men, 
the  swift  pitching  together  of  masses  of  American  volunteers 
into  armies,  was  a plan  so  entirely  unknown  in  European  war-- 
fare,  that  the  comment  was,  from  the  originator’s  standpoint, 
not  unnatural.  The  conduct  of  the  war  did  not  dispel  the  im- 
pression from  their  strict  military  view  of  organizing  and  hand- 
ling armies,  and  while  they  were  compelled  to  applaud  the  valor 


of  the  Americans,  they  never  approved  of  the  volunteer  plan. 
Be  this  as  it  may,  the  American  system  of  government  will 
never  admit  of  other  than  the  volunteer  plan,  and  as  that  plan 
has  carried  victory  in  every  war  in  which  America  has  been 
engaged,  “the  free  men  of  this  land  of  liberty”  will  never 
consent  to  any  other. 

Jackson  resented  the  criticism  of  a superior  officer,  early  in 
the  war  for  Southern  independence,  upon  the  volunteers,  as 
is  herein  recorded. 

While  he  had  unbounded  faith  in  volunteers  “fighting  for 
their  homes  and  liberties,”  his  knowledge  of  military  affairs 
forced  upon  him  the  gravity  of  the  situation  and  the  conditions 
that  confronted  the  South,  and  he  realized  that  his  men  had 
not  only  to  meet  volunteers  from  the  North,  brothers  of  the 
same  country,  but  must  contend  with  the  regulars,  or  United 
States  veterans  in  arms;  the  wealth,  organization  and  govern- 
mental machinery  of  the  United  States  ( States  not  in  the  Con- 
federacy), together  with  its  oppulent  credit  in  all  foreign  coun- 
tries, and  an  almost  frenzied  bigotry  and  fanaticism,  a serious 
sentimentality  rampant  among  nearly  four-fifths  of  the  white 
population  of  the  continent  against  slavery — the  chimpanzee 
pest  of  Stowe. 

Without  any  organization  or  time  for  properly  equipping 
armies,  the  men  of  the  South,  every  one  a volunteer,  went  to 
war  poorly  armed  and  with  scarcely  a round  of  ammunition  for 
the  tenth  volley.  This  condition  of  war  did  not  improve,  but 
grew  steadily  worse  until,  after  four  years  of  unparalleled 
valor,  hardship  and  suffering,  Lee  at  Appomattox  surrendered 
a “handful”  of  men,  “fought  to  a frazzle,”  to  an  army  of  over 
half  a million,  inexhaustibly  equipped  and  with  a train  of 
commissary  wagons  nearly  forty  miles  long! 

The  Southern  armies  are  unmatched  in  all  history  for  pov- 
erty and  valor. 

Had  Jackson  been  at  the  head  of  the  army  that  opposed  him, 
with  its  supply  of  the  necessary  materials  of  war,  including 
money  and  men,  his  fame  would  have  stood  for  one  single 
achievement — ending  a war  in  the  first  important  contest 


of  arms.  He  would  have  ended  the  war  at  First  'Manassas, 
— and  in  reality,  his  firm  stand  there  did  end  the  war;  for  he 
plead  to  be  allowed  to  take  Washington,  in  that  the  Defenders 
had  defeated  the  Invaders — and  Jackson  never  failed  in  any 
undertaking,  and  had  he  been  permitted  to  go  on  to  Washington 
he  at  most  would  have  lost  but  ten  thousand  men,  while  many 
times  ten  thousand  were  lost  afterwards,  and  Washington  was 
never  reached. 

From  Harper’s  Ferry  to  Chancellorsville  his  men,  when 
Jackson  planned  and  not  another,  rolled  the  mighty  cars  of 
war,  bannered  with  victory,  to  the  scheduled  precision  of  cer- 
tainty; and  in  his  camp  there  was  not  a Werther,  a Ganelon  or 
a Heriditus. 

That  the*  government  supporting  Jackson’s  adversary  was 
dismayed  by  his  defeating  every  army  and  commander  sent 
against  him,  there  can  be  no  doubt.  He  seemed  to  them  formed 
of  ethereal  fire  and  not  as  Adam.  That  the  government  of  his 
country,  struggling  to  cope  with  a powerful  antagonist,  did  not 
afford  him  the  authority  his  achievements  merited,  and  failing 
to  do  so,  often  lost  the  results  of  his  victories,  there  can  be  no 
doubt. 

His  faith  in  the  cause  of  his  people — the  Confederacy — was 
second  only  to  his  faith  in  Him  to  whom  he  appealed  tinder 
all  circumstances  for  guidance  and  support. 

We  can  not  measure  the  conditions  of  i86i  to  ’65  by  the  con- 
ditions of  1901 ; and  there  are  no  apologies  in  the  heart  or  mind 
of  any  true  man  for  the  part  Jackson  played  in  the  history 
of  America.  He  was  a soldier  in  whom,  like  Nathaniel,  there 
was  no  guile.  His  fame  is  a part  of  the  heritage  of  every 
American. 

He  conducted  warfare  upon  the  loftiest  principles,  and  after 
the  most  possible  humanity.  When  wounded,  and  Lee  sent 
word  to  move  him  to  the  rear  (the  first  time  he  ever  went  to 
the  rear  in  time  of  battle),  fearing  lest  the  enemy  might  cap- 
ture or  harm  him,  he  complimented  the  foe  by  stating  his  faith 
in  their  respect  for  him,  as  he  had  never  mistreated  them.  When 
he  captured  over  eleven  thousand  prisoners  at  Harper’s  Ferry, 


he  paroled  them  rather  than  take  them  to  starve.  Will  these 
men  or  their  children  ever  forget  this  Christian  soldier? 

Like  all  of  his  comrades,  officers  and  privates,  he  refused  to 
indulge  the  cruelties  of  Tamerlanean  warfare.  True,  he  re- 
buked his  soldiers  for  sparing  lives  of  men  of  opposing  forces 
who  were  especially  brave  in  their  battle  against  his  men,  and 
yet,  it  is  alleged,  he  ordered  a soldier,  one  of  his  men,  who  was 
in  the  act  of  shooting  a gallant  young  officer  in  the  enemy’s 
line,  to  desist.  This  young  soldier  whose  life  Jackson  saved 
proved  to  be  William  McKinley,  the  beloved  President  of 
the  United  States,  assassinated  most  brutally  on  September  6, 
1901,  at  the  Buffalo  Exposition.  He  drew  his  sword  in  battle 
but  once,  and  then  when  he  felt  that  Pope,  who  was  a kind  of 
Attila  in  the  estimation  of  Jackson’s  men,  must  be  rebuked  by 
the  personal  wage  of  the  Commander.  This  was  at  Cedar 
Run,  and  as  Khaled,  who  conquered  Syria,  drew  his  sword  but 
once,  so  with  Jackson,  and  he  drove  Pope  in  abject  defeat,  and 
with  such  results  that  he  was  returned  to  his  government,  a 
Rowland  without  an  Oliver. 

His  achievements  in  battle  surprised  every  one  but  Jackson 
himself.  He  planned  with  marvelous  success,  and  so  accurate 
were  his  plans,  that  many  believed  he  was  inspired,  and  his  men 
charmed.  The  greatest  of  the  enemy  were  his  most  ardent 
admirers.  He  had  no  Fineear  to  gauge  by  the  phones  and 
graphs  of  the  ground  the  distance  of  the  dragon ; nor  a Piper 
of  Hamelin  to  draw  soldiers ; nor  was  his  “Little  Sorrel”  as 
Pacolet’s  horse,  enchanted  ;nor  was  his  sword  an  Excalibur  ; nor 
possessed  he  the  helmet  of  Mambrino ; nor  was  he  a hypotheti- 
cal phantom,  volatilized  by  some  Richard ; but  as  his  military 
biographers  relate  of  him,  he  was  a masterpiece  of  God’s  crea- 
tion, in  “His  own  image that  through  the  possession  of  ex- 
traordinary talent  he  comprehended  the  whole  meaning  of  war, 
and  profoundly  understood  the  science  and  trade  of  battles, 
as  no  man  of  his  time  or  epoch  comprehended  or  understood ; 
and  they  distinctly  write  him  down  as  a natural  man — a wEole 
and  complete  man,  in  mind  and  heart  and  soul  and  body;  that 
his  military  genius  entitled  him  to  rank  as  the  greatest  sol- 


dier,  in  many  respects,  the  world  has  ever  known ; that  he  was 
a born  leader  of  men ; and  the  greater  the  responsibilities  thrust 
upon  him,  the  brighter  and  grander  were  his  abilities  illustrated 
by  his  success ; that  he  was  a soldier  of  splendid  gallantry, 
absolute  courage  and  absorbing  devotion.  His  experience  in 
many  ways,  as  relating  to  his  government,  may  yet  form  an 
Epic  crucible.  As  he,  great  soul  of  valor  and  patient  loyalty, 
cast  no  criticism  upon  the  parliament  of  his  young  country, 
certainly  those  who  love  his  memory,  and  would  struggle  to 
emulate  his  grand  life,  should  faithfully  abstain.  “There  have 
been  many  royal  martyrs,  save  Charles  I.” ; and  the  mind  mar- 
vels at  the  heart’s  delight. 

The  lessons  of  all  that  make  men  truly  great,  Jackson’s  life 
taught ; he  was  the  embodiment  of  truth,  perseverance,  self- 
denial,  simplicity,  integrity,  courage,  unselfishness,  honor  and 
all  the  noble  attributes  of  perfect  manhood ; his  nature  held  no 
ambition  beyond  duty,  and  the  proper  desire  to  excel  in  every 
undertaking.  He  spurned  political  place  and  preference : was 
free  from  egotism,  vanity  and  false  pride ; he  never  speculated 
in  any  form ; he  practiced  no  art  or  scheme  to  win  a way  to 
fame.  He  loved  his  native  State — his  country — more  than  life. 
He  was  as  gentle  and  tender  as  a woman  and  brave  as  a lion ; 
he  loved  children, peace  and  home; he  avoided  strong  drink  ancl 
excessive  indulgencies  of  every  sort.  He  scorned  the  wiles  of 
human  praise ; possessing  all  the  great  qualities  of  his  chief, 
the  immortal  Lee,  by  nature  he  was  more  self-reliant,  and  his 
harsh  experiences  of  childhood  gave  him  absolute  control  over 
political  and  social  dependencies.  Without  the  arrogance  of 
Caesar,  he  over-matched  him  in  personal  independence.  He 
was  the  most  self-reliant,  after  communing  with  his  God,  and 
the  most  politically  independent  man  of  which  history,  in  all 
ages,  gives  any  record.  He  was  a “mother’s  boy,”  an  orphan,  a 
helpless,  penniless  child ; he  knew  poverty,  hardships,  strug- 
gles ; was  exposed  to  example  and  more  or  less  crude  habits  of 
mountaineer  life  in  the  earlier  days  of  Northwest  Virginia, 
but  he  rose  clear,  clean  and  pure,  and  glorified  the  land  that 
gave  him  birth,  and  no  people  are  prouder  of  this  truly  great 


man  than  these  staunch  inhabitants  of  his  native  hills.  He 
reached  the  highest  sound  in  the  plaudits  of  his  devoted  South, 
and  fell  in  battle  while  his  life’s  shadows  were  on  the  west — 
being  only  thirty-eight  years  of  age.  Had  it  pleased  the  Ruler 
of  all  earthly  affairs  to  have  spared  the  life  of  this  young  man, 
Southern  independence,  for  which  he  died,  would  have  been 
fixed  beyond  cavil. 

Jackson  would  have  been  the  first  President  of  the  re-united 
States,  and  a different  history  of  the  Union  and  the  world 
would  be  read  by  generations  yet  to  come. 

Jackson  was  an  American,  and  his  career  reflects  glory  upon 
America;  he  was  a Southerner,  and  added  glory  to  his  section 
of  America ; he  was  a Virginian  and  his  native  State  has  placed 
his  name  among  the  first  of  her  immortal  sons. 

General  Jackson  did  not  live  or  die  in  vain.  To  emulate 
his  example  as  a Christian,  patriot  and  man,  his  survivors, 
their  children  and  children’s  children,  to  the  end  of  time,  will 
honor  themselves,  the  South,  the  Union,  and  the  world.  His 
memory  is  a sacred  heritage,  a trust  in  love  and  precept,  ever 
lifting  us  nearer  to  virtue,  duty,  humility,  to  God  and  the 
“things  that  are  His.” 


LETTERS  FROM  GENERALS  WADE  HAMPTON, 
STEPHEN  D.  LEE  AND  W.  S.  CABELL. 
Commanders  of  the  three  Departments  of  United  Confederate 
Veterans  respectively:  Army  of  Northern  Virginia 
Department,  Army  of  Tennessee  Department, 
Trans-Mississippi  Department. 


Mr.  Wm.  C.  Chase. 

My  Dear  Sir  : I have  been  greatly  interested  in  and 
much  delighted  by  your  effort  to  give  the  people  an  opportu- 
nity of  testifying  to  their  love  and  veneration  for  one  of  the 
greatest  and  grandest  characters  in  the  history  of  the  world. 

The  correspondence  that  has  passed  between  Mrs.  Jackson, 
Hon.  Hoke  Smith  and  yourself  convinces  me  that  this  effort 
will  interest  all  who  would  study  the  life  of  General  Jackson, 
and  take  active  part  in  contributing  to  the  cause — directly 
benefiting  his  grandchildren  through  the  “Story  of  Stone- 
wall Jackson.” 

I wish  that  my  time,  which  is  sorely  taxed,  would  enable  me 
to  indulge  an  extended  sketch  of  this  illustrious  and  beloved 
American,  but  I will  have  to  content  myself  with  a short  note 
in  the  hope  that  it  will  contribute  some  evidence  of  my  per- 
sonal sympathy  and  cordial  regard  for  this  notable  act  of 
patriotic  devotion. 

Stonewall  Jackson  was  not  only  one  of  the  foremost  men 
in  the  great  American  war,  but  the  world  has  not  produced  a 
superior  as  a man,  a soldier  and  a citizen  of  exalted  charac- 
ter, force  and  ability.  Above  all,  he  was  a Christian  in  the 
best  meaning,  and  his  example  will  be  studied,  through  this 
volume,  by  all  who  would  develop  a character  rounded  by 
every  attribute  man  is  permitted  to  enjoy  here  on  earth,  led 
by  the  example  of  this  extraordinary  man  as  exemplified  in  his 
life  and  career. 

Wishing  every  success  in  this  laudable  undertaking — 
creating  a fund  for  the  heirs  of  General  Jackson — and  confi- 
dently believing  in  its  success,  I beg  to  remain, 

Yours  very  truly. 


LETTER  FROM  GENERAL  WADE  HAMPTON. 


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REVffiW  OF  STORY  OF  STONEWALL  JACKSON. 

By  HON.  F,  H.  RICHARDSON,  Editor  Atlanta  Journal. 

It  has  been  more  than  thirty-eight  years  since  Stonwall  Jack- 
son  “ crossed  over  the  river  and  rested  under  the  shade  of  the 
trees.” 

His  fame  is  far  more  widely  extended  and  more  firmly 
established  now  than  it  was  when  his  glorious  life  was  cut  off 
in  the  flower  and  unlimited  promise  of  its  prime. 

Since  his  death  reputations  have  risen  and  fallen ; estimates 
of  men  have  been  readjusted  and  revolutionized ; names  that 
were  fondly  familiar  to  the  multitude  have  been  almost  for- 
gotten. 

Time  has  been  at  work  too,  with  the  memory  of  Jackson, 
but  only  to  impress  it  the  deeper  upon  the  mind  and  heart  of 
mankind,  and  to  bring  out  into  bolder  relief  the  strength  and 
beauty  of  a character  that  is  now  conceued  to  hold  a perma- 
nent and  splendid  place  in  history. 

He  who  numbers  Stonewall  Jackson  among  the  immortals, 
no  longer  finds  that  judgment  challenged,  but  with  each  pass- 
ing  year  becomes  a partscipant  in  a more  complete  concensus 
of  intelligent  and  discriminating  conviction. 

Opinions  of  this  man’s  achievements  and  prophecies  of  his 
historic  stature  which  were. 'expressed  in  the  shock  and  grief  of 
his  sudden  taking  off  are  seen  under  the  clear  light  and  cooler 
consideration  of  a dispasionate  era  to  have  been,  almost  with- 
out exception,  pitched  too  low,  lofty  as  most  of  them  were. 

Of  how  many  popular  heroes  can  it  be  said  that  a succeding 
generation  has  equaled,  and  even  surpassed,  the  enthusiasm  o^ 
their  cotemporaneous  praise? 

But  who  will  deny  the  truth  of  this  remark  as  applied  to 
Stonewall  Jackson? 

There  has  never  been  a moment  since  the  death  of  this  great 
captain  when  his  name  was  held  so  high,  or  when  his  life,  char- 
acter and  deeds  were  the  subject  of  such  widespread  and  in- 
tense interest  and  admiration  as  they  are  to-day. 


Within  the  last  ten  f)r  fifteen  years  there  have  been  several 
remarkable  revivals  of  the  fame  of  men  who  were  more  or  less 
illustrious  and  worthy.  Napoleon,  Washington,  Cromwell 
and  Alfred,  The  Great,  to  name  them  in  the  order  of  these 
recent  demonstrations  of  quickened  popular  interest,  are  the 
most  conspicuous  subjects  of  such  movements.  It  can  not  be 
said  that  there  has  been  a Stonewall  Jackson  revival  at  any 
time,  but  there  has  been  a steady  growth  of  his  fame  and  an 
unceasing  elevation  of  his  character  in  the  honor  and  love  of 
the  civilized  world. 

The  people  of  the  South,  the  people  of  the  North  and  those 
of  other  lands  are  more  eager  than  ever  before  to  read  the  story 
of  his  life  and  his  wonderful  campaigns.  They  desire  more 
than  this ; they  seek  a fuller  knowledge  of  the  personalty  of 
the  man  as  it  can  be  revealed  only  in  those  seemingly  less  im- 
portant events  and  incidents  which,  after  all,  give  the  true 
form  and  color  of  a life,  however  great,  and  arouse  the  deepest 
human  interest  in  it.  It  may  be  justly  claimed,  I think,  that 
in  the  present  “Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson,”  by  Mr.  W.  C. 
Chase,  this  demand  is  supplied  better  than  in  any  other  biog- 
raphy that  has  yet  appeared. 

While  it  in  nowise  neglects,  or  subordinates  any  of  his  his- 
toric struggles  and  achievements  it  seems  to  me  to  bring  us 
close  to  Jackson  himself  and  to  enable  us  to  see  and  under- 
stand him  as  he  was  more  fully  than  those  of  us  who  did  not 
enjoy  the  high  privilege  of  personal  association  with  him  have 
hitherto  had  the  opportunity  of  doing. 

This  book  gives  many  heretofore  unpublished  anecdotes  of 
Jackson  and  incidents  in  both  his  private  and  public  life  that 
have  been  carefully  gathered  from  the  most  authentic  sources 
and  whose  reliability  is  guaranteed  by  the  highest  authority. 

These  sidelights  reveal  with  increased  clearness  the  features 
of  a character  that  will  form  one  of  the  most  fascinnating  and 
inspiring  studies  of  men  for  generations  to  come. 

If  these  points  of  Jackson’s  personality  alone  had  been  col- 
lected and  published  in  disconnected  form  they  would  have 
made  a very  precious  compilation,  but  their  value  is  inesti- 
mably enhanced  by  their  presentation  in  the  order  and  setting 
of  their  occurrence.  They  run  and  flash  like  threads  of  gold 
through  the  rich  fabric  of  the  hero’s  life. 


Hardly  anybody  now  reads  any  biography  of  Samuel  John- 
soh  except  Boswell’s,  though  many  others  have  been  written. 
Boswell’s  Life  of  Johnson  is  accepted  as  the  best  work  of  its 
kind  because,  more  than  any  other,  it  gives  the  liveliest  and 
most  complete  portrayal  of  the  living,  breathing,  acting  man 
with  whom  it  deals. 

How  much  greater  the  need  of  a “ Story  of  Stonewall  Jack- 
son”  that  will  enable  us  to  follow  the  development  of  his  mar- 
velous powers,  to  see  how  he  acted  and  felt  in  meeting  and 
overcoming  the  dificulties  and  trials  of  his  life,  and  how  his 
great  heart  reached  out  for  the  sympathy  and  companionship 
to  which  it  ever  gave  a ready  response ! 

We  would  not  willingly  let  fall  into  forgetfulness  the  slight- 
est word,  or  lose  sight  of  the  smallest  incident  in  the  lives  of 
the  truly  great  and  noble  of  the  earth,  and  from  the  life  of 
Stonewall  Jackson  we  can  draw  much  more  of  help  and  con- 
solation by  getting  close  to  him  as  a man  than  by  standing  in 
admiration  and  reverence  before  the  stately  figure  upon  the 
imperishable  pedestal  of  his  fame. 

For  this  pleasure  and  benefit  the  present  and  succeeding 
generations  will  be  largely  indebted  to  the  industrious  and  able 
efforts  of  Mr  W.  C.  Chase. 

The  book  before  us  would  have  been  impossible  without  the 
loving  coperation  of  those  who  knew  Stonewall  Jackson  best 
of  all  and  loved  him  most. 

As  far  as  was  possible  for  any  of  those  with  whom  he  walked 
the  ways  of  this  world  they  have  breathed  into  this  story  the 
breath  of  his  life  and  revealed  the  depths  of  his  soul. 

The  comprehensive,  accurate  and  faithful  account  of  the 
almost  unmatched  achievements  of  Stonewall  Jackson,  il- 
lumined by  the  knowledge  of  his  rarely  beautiful  personality 
here  more  fully  set  forth  than  ever  before,  make  a book  that 
will  live  because  it  is  the  fullest  record  of  the  life  and  thoughts 
of  one  of  the  mighest  and  godliest  men  who  has  blessed  the 
world. 


SKETCH  BY  GEN.  JOSEPH  WHEELER. 

Few  characters  have  appeared  on  life’s  arena  as  interesting 
and  grand  as  that  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  Becoming  an  or- 
phan when  little  more  than  an  infant,  spending  his  early  days 
without  any  education  or  advantages,  we  find  him  within  one 
year  of  his  majority  with  only  the  meagre  learning  which  he 
had  acquired  in  doing  the  work  necessary  to  earn  the  most 
ordinary  kind  of  support.  He  was  nearly  twenty-years  old 
when  he  entered  West  Point  in  1842.  Entirely  untrained  and 
unaccustomed  to  study,  he  found  it  almost  impossible  to  learn 
or  when  called  upon  to  recite,  to  express  in  intelligible  lan- 
guage that  which  with  great  effort  he  had  gathered  from  the 
lessons  which  were  given  to  him. 

General  John  Gibbons,  afterwards  a distinguished  Federal 
general,  who  was  his  classmate,  used  to  tell  me  of  Jackson’s 
almost  grotesque  efforts  to  recite  when  the  course  commenced 
in  September,  1842.  He  said  that  his  struggle  was  so  earne.st 
that  perspiration  would  run  from  his  forehead  and  down  upon 
his  collar  until  it  became  thoroughly  saturated. 

Both  soon  found  their  way  to  the  lowest  section,  and  his 
dismissal  from  the  Academy  in  January  seemed  inevitable  as 
his  fellow-classmates  of  the  same  section  did  not  think  it  pos- 
sible for  him  to  pass  the  necessary  examination.  His  intense 
effort,  however,  had  aroused  the  interest  and  admiration  of 
his  instructors,  and  with  January  came  the  feeling  that  such 
industry  and  perseverance  would  finally  conquer  and  secured 
for  him  enough  votes  on  the  Board  to  pass  him  over  until  the 
following  June.  Here  his  probability  of  failure  was  but  very 
little  lessened,  but  the  same  feeling  that  carried  him  through 
January  rescued  him  from  dismissal  at  the  June  examination. 

The  freedom  and  rest  from  academic  duties  during  the  two 
months  of  summer  seemed  to  put  him  in  good  condition  for 
the  work  of  the  coming  year,  and  from  its  commencement  he 
so  rapidly  improved  that  he  finally  rose  to  the  first  section  in 
each  of  his  studies,  and  it  was  a common  expression  among 
his  classmates,  that  if  he  had  one  more  year  he  would  have 


been  at  the  head  of  his  class.  lie  graduated  July  i,  1846; 
was  immediately  ordered  to  Mexico  where,  in  command  of  a 
battery,  he  won  such  distinction  in  the  battles  from  Vera 
Cruz  to  the  City  of  Mexico  that  he  was  commended  in  the 
highest  terms  by  his  commanders,  and  in  September,  fourteen 
months  after  leaving  the  Academy,  he  received  the  brevet 
rank  of  major,  the  only  member  of  his  class  who  attained  that 
great  distinction. 

Soon  after  the  Mexican  War  he  resigned  to  take  a professor- 
ship in  the  Virginia  Military  Institute.  He  seemed  oblivious 
to  and  did  not  appear  to  care  at  all  for  the  military  distinction 
he  had  acquired  in  Mexico.  He  was  plodding  along  ear- 
nestly at  this  work  when  the  sound  of  war  was  heard  in  1861. 
The  Governor  of  Virginia  appointed  him  a colonel  of  a volun- 
teer regiment,  and  from  that  moment  his  heroic  career  com- 
menced and  continued  without  interruption.  He  was  without 
question  the  most  distinguished  officer  of  his  grade  in  the 
battle  of  Manassas. 

When  other  troops  were  being  driven  by  the  overwhelming 
assaulting  force,  their  commanders  appealing  to  them  to  hold 
their  ground,  pointed  at  Jackson’s  line  saying,  “See  Jackson, 
he  is  standing  there  like  a stone  wall.”  From  this  moment  he 
was  only  known  by  his  new  sobriquet,  “Stonewall  Jackson.” 

His  campaign  of  1862  in  the  Valley,  it  is  safe  to  say,  was 
without  parallel  in  the  history  of  warfare,  and  marked  him 
throughout  the  world  as  a man  of  most  superb  military  genius. 

After  his  victories  over  Banks,  McDowell,  Fremont,  Milroy 
and  Shields  he  hastened  to  Richmond,  joined  Lee  in  the  six 
days’  battle  before  that  city,  the  points  of  victory  being  very 
largely  in  the  part  of  the  field  where  he  was  engaging  the 
enemy. 

Then  followed  the  great  campaign  around  Washington  and 
up  into  Maryland.  In  all  these  wonderful  military  operations 
Stonewall  Ja,ckson  performed  the  leading  part.  His  great 
battle  against  Pope’s  Army,  the  fighting  being  principally 
with  Porter’s  corps,  elicited  the  admiration  of  the  world,  and 
his  superb  conduct  continued  through' all  the  engagements  in- 


eluding  the  Antietam  of  Sharpsburg,  the  last  battle  of  the 
campaign. 

At  Fredericksburg  it  was  Stonewall  Jackson’s  corps  which 
made  the  sturdiest  and  best  conducted  defense,  and  the  victory 
at  Chancellorsville  was  largely  if  not  entirely  due  to  his  skill- 
ful and  persistent  attack  and  defeat  of  Howard’s  corps. 

His  death  at  the  close  of  this  action  deprived  Lee  of  his 
strongest  arm  and  most  valued  General,  the  Confederacy 
of  its  most  successful  defender,  and  the  world  of  a man  and 
hero  whose  character  was  without  reproach  or  blemish. 


1 


SKETCH. 

LETTER  FROM  MAJ.  GEN.  FITZHUGH  LEE. 


3C42cr. 


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l/yCc./^  '£tp>cC^uc,^ 
£:a>^  <iC^ 

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Aufjust  26,  1901 


A*  7acksQ!>, 

Charlott’ej  N.  C* 

Ify  dear  njadam) 

Your  letter  of  August  23rcl,  1901,  has 

beeft  received* 

The  informatioh  contained  in  it  that  Mr.  Wm.  C. 
Chase  has  written  a narrative  story  of  the  life  of  your 
husband  (general  T.  J.  Jackson) , and  that  the  publishers 
agree  to  donate  one-half  of  their  profits  on  the  work, 
over  and  above  the  cost  of  the  book,  its  publishing  and 
marketing,  to  your  grand-children,  Julia  Jackson,  and 
Thomas  Jackson  Christian,  is  a natter  of  much  interest 
to  me  and  shoiild  be  to  the  many  who  love  the  memory  of 
your  illustrioiis  and  lamented  husband. 

Your  request  that  I will  consent  to  serve  as 
Trustee  for  this  fund,  that  is,  such  monies  as  may  be 
delivered  to  me  by  the  publishers,  as  per  their  agree- 
ment with  Mr.  Chase  and  their  letter  to  which  j^ou  refer, 

I gratefully  accede  to;  it  gives  me  the  utmost  pleasure 
that  you  have  made  the  request,  and  I will  discharge  the 
trust  iitiDOBed  to  the  best  of  my  ability. 

I hope  that  the  results  of  the  sale  of  this 
work  will  create  a fund  worthy  of  the  memory  of  General 
Jackson* 

Tlie  absorbing  story  of  hie  career  is  fully 
known  to  but  few,  and  the  exai!?)les  furnished  by  his  life 
are  richly  worth  study  by  alii 

I am  assured  that  the  book  has  been  prepared 
with  exhaustive  care,  will  be  placed  on  the  market  at  a 
most  reasonable  price  and  will  be  a popular  featiu^e  of  our 
literature. 

I will  do  whet  I can  for  its  success  end  be- 
lieve the  press  end  people  will  take  an  active  interest 
in  contributing  to  make  the  fund  c.  large  one. 

Again  thanking  3’‘0U  for  the  con5)liment  Of  se- 
lecting me  as  Trustee,  I am. 

Very  sincerely  and  respectfully  yours, 


'Qhcar 


J / 


Zajy  y 

ajTy^^  ^ 

'io  '^liA^^ddd , 


Mrs.  M.  A.  Jackson, 

Charlotte , N.  C . , 

Dear  Madam: 

When  the  subject  of  the  printing 
and  publishing  of  a book  bo  be  devoted 
to  a life  story  of  your  illustrious  and 
beloved  husband.  General  T.  J.  Jackson, 
(but  gloriously  known  to  the  world  and 
to  history  as  ‘‘Stonewall  Jackson'*), 
such  book  to  be  written  in  a popular, 
narrative  style  and  for  the  general  pub- 
lie,  that  they  might  read  of  the  man  as 
a man,  rather  than  as  an  august  mili- 
tary leader,  thereby  knowing  him  in  all 
phases  of  his  brilliant  and  wonderful 
career,  we  were  at  once  deeply  im- 
pressed. Bub  when  the  author,  Mr. 
Chase,  informed  us  that  in  addition  to 
the  style  of  the  book,  that  it  was  to 
be  dedicated  to  General  Jackson’s  grand- 
children, and  asked  if  we  would  consent 
to  publish  the  book  and  give  to  these 
sole  living  descendants  of  General 
Jackson  a half  interest  in  the  pub- 
lisher’s profits  on  the  book,  v/e  were 
deeply  impressed  with  the  need  of  such 
a book,  and  so  thorough  enthused  by 
this  happy  opportunity  to  afford  the 
people  of  the  United  States  the  means 
of  having  a full  and  complete  story  of 
the  most  illustrions  product  of  Ameri- 
can manhood — a life  story  of  Jackson — 
and  each  one  thus  to  contribute  to  the 
happiness*  comfort  and  pleasure  of  the 
only  two  living  creatures  through  whose 
veins  his  blood  flows,  his  two  grand- 
children, we  did  not  hesitate,  but  in- 
formed Mr.  Chase  that  our  facilities 
and  our  best  efforts  would  at  once  be 


placed  at  the  service  of  so  laudable  and 
patriotic  an  undertaking,. 

It  is  now  our  pleasure  bo  tell  you, 
Mrs.  Jackson,  as  the  loving  grandmother 
of  these  children  and  the  widow  of  a man 
all  the  world  honors  itself  in  honor- 
ing, that  we  have  spared  no  expense, 
time  or  effort  in  producing  a book 
which  we  take  additional  pleasure  in 
informing  you  was  written  by  a Southern 
man  and  published  by  a Southern  house. 

Your  letter  to  us,  received  some 
time  ago,  informing  us  of  your  having 
appointed  Hon.  Hoke  Smith  of  Atlanta 
trustee  to  receive  the  funds  coming 
from  the  sale  of  the  book,  in  the 
amount  that  shall  be  due  your  grand- 
children is  entirely  satisfactory  to 
us;  and  the  amount  will  be  delivered  bo 
Mr.  Smith  as  per  our  agreement. 

We  have ^ every  reason  to  believe 
that  the  sales  on  this  book  will  be 
large*  and  to  express  our  firm  belief 
in  the  universal  desire  of  the  people 
to  testify,  in  a manner  at  once  profit- 
able and  pleasurable,  to  the  memory  of 
Stonewall  Jackson  as  they  do  in  the 
purchase  of  this  book,  ‘‘Story  of 
Stonewall  Jackson. ' ' 

With  kindest  regards,  we  beg  to  re- 
main. 


Yours  very  truly, 


General  Jackson’s  Grandchildren, 

Julia  Jackson  and  Thomas  Jackson  Christian, 
when  three  or  four  years  of  age. 


(4) 


General  Jackson’s  Father.  Jackson’s  Father’s  Grave, 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson 


Thomas  Jonathan  jackson  (“Stonewaii”  jack- 

son)  was  born  in  a small  country  village,  Clarksburg, 
Virginia,  now  West  Virginia,  in  1824,  on  the  21st 
day  of  January. 

His  family  was  a representative  one  in  the  Old  Dominion 
State,  and  many  of  the  leading  men  of  America  are  of  the 
same  blood.  We  state  this  in  the  beginning,  as  there  is  an  im- 
pression existing  that  Jackson  came  of  obscure  people.  It 
may  also  be  well  to  refer  to  the  fact  that  other  impressions 
made  upon  the  public  mind  concerning  General  Jackson  are 
erroneous.  Lecturers  as  well  as  writers  have  attempted  to 
surround  his  life  with  enigma  and  illusions.  The  reality  in 
Jackson’s  life  is  sufficiently  thrilling  and  entertaining,  instruc 
tive  and  unusual,  to  satisfy  requirements  of  the  most  exacting 
reader  or  student. 

There  should  be  nothing  of  fiction  associated  with  the  mem- 
ory of  a life  so  absolutely  truthful  as  was  Jackson’s.  If  Jack- 
son  appeared  mysterious  to  some  persons,  such  impression 
would  have  disappeared  after  a short  acquaintance  with  facts 
concerning  his  history.  His  career  was  replete  with  absorbing 
interest,  material  example  and  charming  precept.  He  possessed 
in  the  superlative,  the  strength  of  elevated  manhood,  Chris- 
tianity, love,  wisdom,  chivalry,  patriotism. 

Let  us  remember  that  Jackson  came  of  a people  who  had 
made  history.  Scotch  Presbyterians  differ  from  both  Puritan 
and  Cavalier  alike  ; and  made  history  in  time  of  the  Stuarts. 
Jackson’s  gi'eat-grandparents  on  his  paternal  side  came  from 
England  and  Ireland,  and  were  of  Scotch  and  Irish  families. 
His  great-grandfather  and  great-grandmother  were  fellow 
voyagers  in  the  year  1748  on  a ship  sailing  from  England  to 
America  and  bound  for  Baltimore,  Maryland.  They  met  for 
the  first  time  on  board  this  ship,  and  the  acquaintance  soon 
developed  more  than  casual  interest ; in  a word,  these  young 

people  fell  in  love  under  the  power  of  “first-sight.”  They 

49 


5°  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

were  taking  a brave  trip,  leaving  their  native  country,  to  try 
their  fortunes  in  the  “land  beyond  the  sea’’ — America.  Youth- 
ful colonists,  who  were  courageously  assuming  life’s  wage,  on 
their  voluntary  motion. 

The  young  man’s  name  was  John  Jackson  and  the  maiden’s 
name  was  Elizabeth  Cummins,  two  excellent  names  of  their 
respective  nationalities,  the  former  being  Scotch  and  the  latter 
Irish. 

John  Jackson,  great-grandfather  of  Stonewall  Jackson,  was 
a blonde,  strongly  built  and  six  feet  tall.  He  was  noted  for 
his  strength,  both  of  mind  and  body  ; he  was  possessed  of  what 
is  called  good  looks  and  a manly  bearing  in  every  relation- 
ship. 

He  was  at  the  time  twenty-three  years  of  age. 

His  life  proved  him  to  be  of  that  material  heroes,  patriots 
and  makers  of  nations  are  made  of.  He  was  courageous, 
truthful,  energetic,  honest,  prudent,  and  temperate.  Mr.  Jack- 
son  wished  to  go  at  once  into  the  far  West  on  his  arrival  at 
Baltimore,  but  as  Miss  Cummins  would  not  consent  to  leave 
her  friends,  Mr.  Jackson  remained  near  Baltimore,  living  in 
Calvert  County,  Maryland. 

Miss  Cummins  was  of  a family  in  Ireland  that  owned  con- 
siderable property,  real  estate,  which  was  not  common  at  that 
period  and  was  a privilege  enjoyed  by  a favored  few.  Her 
mother  having  married  a second  time.  Miss  Cummins  was 
very  unhappy.  It  is  related  her  stepfather  was  repulsive  to 
her,  so  much  so,  that  upon  one  occasion,  when  exasperated  by 
him,  she  struck  him  over  the  head  with  a water-pitcher;  and 
though  this  was  not  the  gentlest  manner  by  which  to  express 
one’s  indignation,  the  vigorous  act  proved  effectual  in  her  case. 
She  was  only  a girl,  fifteen  years  of  age,  but  she  possessed  true 
Irish  spirit,  and  this  stepfather  became  so  overbearing  that 
she  finally  ran  away  from  her  home ; and  it  was  upon  the  oc- 
casion of  her  determination  to  foi'ever  leave  her  home  and  go 
to  America  that  she  met  Mr.  Jackson. 

After  making  the  acquaintance  of  Miss  Cummins,  Mr_ 
Jackson  learned  of  her  present  purpose  and  situation,  and  im- 
mediately offered  her  his  hand  and  purse ; but  she  declined  to 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  51 

accept  any  favors  from  the  young  man.  She  was  well  educa- 
ted, of  unusual  intellect  and  self-reliance,  was  of  true  Saxon 
type,  and  in  personal  appearance  very  tall  and  of  command- 
ing physique.  She  met  friends  on  the  ship  going  to  Balti- 
more, and  lived  with  them  long  enough  after  arriving  in  Balti- 
more to  pay  her  passage  to  the  ship-o*vners,  which  they  had 
advanced  for  her. 

This  young  girl,  a refugee  from  an  unhappy  matrimonial 
venture  (her  mother’s  second  marriage),  became  the  wife  of  a 
sturdy  and  worthy  man,  and  the  great-grandmother  of  one  of 
the  most  prominent  men  in  all  history.  Stonewall  Jackson, 
who  possessed  some  of  her  traits. 

These  young  people  soon  after  their  marriage  migrated  into 
the  northern  part  of  Virginia,  known  as  Moorfield  Valley,  tak- 
ing with  them  stock,  wagons,  implements,  etc.  It  is  of  inter- 
est to  state  here  the  fact  that  Jackson,  one  hundred  and  twelve 
years  after,  in  his  memorable  campaign  (the  Romney  and 
ISIoorfleld  campaign  of  1862),  which  has  been  compared  to 
Valley  Forge,  routed  the  invading  army  from  the  North  on 
the  lands  once  the  property  of  his  pioneer  ancestors. 

The  lands  of  this  section  are  notoriously  fertile,  but  there  has 
always  been  some  kind  of  fever  existing.  The  young  couple 
were  not  content  to  take  chances,  so  moved  across  the  Alle- 
ghany Mountains  to  far  western  Virginia  and  settled  on  the 
Buchanan  River,  in  a charming  valley.  Here  they  found 
fine  timber,  pure  mountain  water,  salubrious  climate,  and  rich 
lands. 

The  Indians  were  still  in  that  portion  of  Virginia,  but  the 
Jacksons  were  not  intimidated  by  their  presence  and  remained 
in  their  new  home,  brave  pioneers.  Owing  to  the  dangers  to 
which  settlers  were  subjected  in  this  wild  and  remote  outlying 
region,  the  lands  were  cheap,  and  this  faithful  couple  accumu- 
lated a vast  estate  and  laid  the  foundation  of  a large  fortune. 

Where  they  settled  is  now  a prosperous  town  called  Buch- 
anan (West  Virginia).  When  the  Jacksons  established 
themselves  there  the  settlement  was  known  as  Fort  Jackson, 
and  consisted  of  log  houses,  stockades  and  forts.  In  time  of 
Indian  raids  the  settlers  for  miles  around  would  take  refuge 


52  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

in  these  forts,  which  were  built  of  logs  and  afforded  safe  pro- 
tection. 

Mrs.  Jackson  has  left  behind  her  many  records  of  her  brav- 
ery. The  war-whoop  of  the  savages  did  not  cause  her  to 
quail.  She  would  fight  the  Indians,  we  are  told,  “like  a 
man,”  and,  although  a^ind  and  gentle  woman,  she  possessed 
a vigorous  nature  and  had  no  patience  with  anything  like 
Aveakness  or  timidity  in  men.  She  was  all  sympathy  with 
women  and  children,  but  she  required  in  men  staunch  courage 
and  sterling  manhood.  She  would  soothe  the  frightened 
women  and  care  for  the  terrorized  children  when  Indians  were 
on  the  war-path,  but  she  thought  nothing  of  doing  a man’s 
part  in  defending  against  the  red  man  when  attacking  the  set- 
tlement. This  spirit  she  transmitted  to  her  posterity. 

The  Jacksons  manifested  a proper  appreciation  of  their  ad- 
vantages and,  as  stated,  accumulated  lands.  It  is  a fact  that 
Mrs.  Jackson  filled  the  Biblical  words,  “She  considereth  a 
field  and  buyeth  it,  and  with  the  fruits  of  her  hands  she 
planteth  a vineyard.”  Many  grants  of  lands  are  still  on 
record  as  once  belonging  to  her,  in  her  own  right  and  name. 

The  Jacksons  had  an  inherent  love  of  liberty.  At  the  age 
of  sixty  the  father  took  his  sons  and  went  to  fight  for  Ameri- 
can independence  in  the  war  with  England.  The  mother 
shared  all  the  dangers  of  frontier  life.  She  had  the  tempera- 
ment of  her  Irish  nativity,  she  possessed  a strong  spirit  of  re- 
sistance. Her  surroundings  compelled  her  to  look  upon  the 
hardships  and  dangers  of  her  new  home  with  a trust  that  knows 
no  other  law  than  unflinching  courage  and  fortitude. 

The  Jacksons  were  valiant;  they  belonged  to  that  class  of 
Americans  who  made  a nation  and  did  not  fall  heir  to  it. 
They  labored  and  suffered  untold  privations  and  hardships, 
both  feeling  that  their  children  would  share  the  results  of  their 
sacrifices,  as  they  grew  up  about  them,  to  see  the  dawn  of  in- 
dividual and  national  liberty.  They  left  to  their  posterity 
that  which  will  live  among  the  Jacksons  as  long*  as  the  hills 
last — LOVE  OF  INDEPENDENCE. 

As  time  passed  and  the  country  grew  and  their  sons  be- 
came men  of  affairs  and  leading  citizens  in  their  State,  mov- 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


53 


ing  to  their  several  selected  homes  in  different  parts  of  the 
country,  the  old  couple  were  left  partly  alone  on  the  planta- 
tion. In  i8oi  Mr.  Jackson,  then  a man  of  eighty-six  years  of 
age,  died  at  his  son’s.  Col.  George  Jackson,  at  Clarksburg. 

He  was  a man  of  marked  ability,  well-educated,  and  a nat- 
ural leader  of  men.  Up  to  the  time  of  his  death  he  had  enjoyed 
excellent  health.  He  expired  in  the  arms  of  his  faithful  wife. 

IMrs.  Jackson  survived  her  husband  about  twenty-five  years, 
and  up  to  the  end  retained,  in  a wonderful  degree,  her  men- 
tal faculties.  She  died  in  1825,  at  the  age  of  one  hun- 
dred and  five.  She  lived  long  enough  to  see  her  tree  of 
life  flourish  into  the  “fourth  boughs.’’  The  year  before  her 
death  her  great-grandson,  Stonewall  Jackson,  was  born,  and 
in  the  same  town  where  she  died,  Clarksburg.  She  left  an 
honorable  record  and  thousands  of  friends  to  mourn  her  loss. 
Man}’-  of  her  descendants  have  become  famous  in  the  United 
States. 

This  couple  of  truly  stalwart  citizens  of  the  new  republic 
left,  as  we  have  said,  valuable  lands  and  estates,  but  most  of 
all,  they  left  a legacy  rich  in  example  of  devotion  and  marital 
strength,  sympathy  and  faith.  Before  they  were  called  to 
their  reward  in  the  other  world,  they  lived  to  see  some  of  their 
sons  receive  distinguished  honors  at  the  hands  of  their  fellow 
citizens,  which  in  those  days  was  honor  indeed. 

Their  son  George  was  promoted  to  the  position  of  colonel 
in  the  Revolutionary  War,  was  sent  to  Congress  from  his  dis- 
trict, andjafter  moving  to  Ohio  his  son,  John  G.  Jackson,  was 
elected  as  his  successor  in  Congress  and  married  the  sister  of 
“pretty  Dolly  Madison,’’  the  wife  of  President  Madison,  and 
upon  her  death,  married  the  only  daughter  of  the  Governor  of 
Ohio,  Miss  Meigs. 

Judge  Wm.  L.  Jackson  a cousin  of  the  hero,  Stonewall 
Jackson,  was  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Virginia,  at  a period 
when  there  was  exalted  honor  in  the  position.  The  family 
has  grown  into  thousands,  including  all  connections,  and 
among  them  are  distinguished  jurists,  physicians,  clergymen, 
commercialists,  financiers,  planters,  and  others  who  fill  the 
walks  of  life  with  credit  to  the  name  of  Jackson.  During  the 


54  Story  of  Stoxewarl  Jackson. 

war  for  Southern  Independence  (called  by  some  the  Civil 
War,  War  between  the  States,  etc.),  Jackson’s  relatives  served 
in  the  army  of  the  Confederacy — the  defenders — with  great 
courage,  notably  his  cousin  who  fell  at  Cedar  Run,  Virginia, 
in  1862,  a colonel  on  Jackson’s  staff  and  who  is  buried  near 
his  illustrious  uncle  in  Lexington,  Virginia,  Major  Gittings 
and  others. 

Edward  Jackson,  brother  of  Col.  George  Jackson,  and  son 
of  the  original  Jacksons,  John  and  Elizabeth,  was  the  grand- 
father of  Stonewall  Jackson.  He  located  in  Lewis  County, 
Virginia  (now  West  Virginia),  near  Weston.  Being  a civil 
engineer  and  surveyor,  he  amassed  a comfortable  fortune,  as 
surveying  was  very  lucrative  in  the  early  days  of  the  Old  Do- 
minion State,  Virginia.  Edward  Jackson  married  and  had 
three  sons  and  three  daughters — one  of  the  sons,  Jonathan,  was 
the  father  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  In  a second  marriage  of 
Jackson’s  grandfather,  Edward,  there  were  nine  more  children 
born,  and  among  them  Jackson’s  benefactor  and  lifelong 
friend,  Cummins  Jackson. 

Jonathan,  the  father  of  Stonewall  Jackson,  was  like  the 
founder  of  the  family,  John  Jackson,  in  personal  appearance, 
having  an  excellent  physique.  He  was  a man  of  clear  intel- 
lect and  possessed  a nature  of  characteristics  combining  the 
traits  of  the  Irish  and  Scotch — generous  and  impulsive,  but 
diligent  in  business  affairs.  He  studied  law  with  Hon.  John 
G.  Jackson,  of  whom  we  have  spoken,  and  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  Clarksburg,  Virginia,  and  immediately  begun  the 
practice  of  law  there. 

Jackson  took  a great  deal  of  interest  in  his  family.  He 
possessed  what  is  called  family  pride,  to  a marked  degree.  He 
wrote  once  to  his  cousin.  Governor  Jackson,  in  behalf  of  a 
kinsman  who  was  running  for  some  public  office:  “I  am  most 
anxious  to  see  our  family  enjoying  that  high  standard  of  in- 
fluence which  it  possessed  in  days  of  yore.” 

Jackson’s  mother  was  named  Julia  Beckwith  Neale.  Her 
family  are  people  of  prominence  in  West  Virginia,  and  her 
parents  lived  at  Parkersburg  (then  Virginia).  She  is  de- 
scribed as  a lady  of  much  beauty,  having  dark  gray  eyes,  soft 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


55 


brown  hair,  wavy  and  abundant ; gracious  in  manners,  attract- 
ive voice  and  handsome  face.  She  was  a most  devoted  Chris- 
tian, devout  and  charitable  ; a mother  of  rarest  gifts  of  affec- 
tionate concern.  She  was  a belle  in  society  and  one  of  those 
gentle  and  yet  positive  characters  everybody  loves  to  love — “the 
great  and  small,  rich  and  poor,  white  and  black,  all  alike, 
held  her  in  highest  esteem.” 

Just  after  the  war  for  Southern  Independence,  Gen.  R. 
E.  Lee  wrote  to  an  aged  schoolmaster  who  had  conducted  a 
school  at  Clarksburg,  West  Virginia,  for  information  concern- 
ing Jackson,  w'ho  had  been“Lee’s  right  arm”  whom  Lee  leaned 
upon,  loved  and  trusted.  General  Lee  wanted  to  ascertain 
more  concerning  this  wonderful  man,  Jackson.  The  old 
schoolmaster,  though  ninety-one  years  old,  wrote  General 
Lee  a long  and  full  letter  about  the  Jacksons,  the  Neales,  and 
their  histories.  In  all  there  is  everything  to  be  proud  of  and 
at  which  to  rejoice,  and  nothing  to  regret. 

The  school-teacher  had  taught  Jackson’s  mother.  Miss  Julia 
Neale,  and  thus  the  faithful  old  master  writes  of  her : “When 
Julia  Neale  became  our  pupil,  she  was  about  thirteen  years 
old ; endowed  with  good  natural  mind,  she  soon  acquired  the 
habit  of  close  application,  and  gave  us  no  trouble  in  her  reci- 
tations. She  was  rather  a brunette,  handsome  face,  and  when 
at  maturity,  of  medium  height  and  symmetrical  form.  And 
now  at  the  close  of  our  ninety-first  year,  we  still  in  memory 
behold  her  as  standing  before  us,  reciting  her  lessons  with  a 
pleasant  smile,  and  also  in  the  maturity  of  womanhood,  when 
her  affianced  lord  came  to  pay  her  homage,  which  soon  termi- 
nated in  a matrimonial  alliance.” 

Jackson’s  father  was  a lawyer,  and,  like  all  yoiing  pro- 
fessional men,  with  comparatively  limited  means  just  starting 
out  in  life  should  do,  he  lived  economically,  and  took  his  bride 
to  their  little  home,  a comfortable  brick  cottage,  in  Clarksburg, 
surrounded  by  a commodious  plot  or  ground  upon  which  it 
was  his  purpose  to  build  a large  house.  The  home  was  a 
happy  one,  and  the  husband  and  father  was  a model  of  both, 
— the  soul  of  gentleness  and  affection. 

He  was  a successful  lawyer,  particularly  in  the  higher  range 


56 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


of  that  intellectual,  literary,  and  skillful  profession,  known  as 
the  chancery  practice.  Unfortunately  for  his  children  and 
wife,  his  friendliness  and  kindness  of  heart  lead  him  into  the 
error  of  endorsing  notes  for  those  who  took  advantage  of  his 
generosity,  and  as  some  of  these  false  friends  betrayed  him, 
and  he  had  the  monies  pledged  to  pay ; and  in  discharging 
these  debts  of  honor  for  friends  he  lost  his  entire  fortune  and 
all  his  property. 

To  this  devoted  couple  were  born  four  children — two  boys 
and  two  girls — Elizabeth,  Warren,  Thomas  Jonathan,  and 
Laura.  These  children  lived  happily  in  their  home  and  all 
went  well  until  the  eldest  child,  Elizabeth,  was  taken  ill  and 
- died,  and  her  father,  who  nursed  her  in  her  grievous  malady, 
soon  followed  his  child  to  the  grave,  dying  with  same  disease. 
He  never  left  her  bedside  day  or  night  and  literally  sacrificed 
his  life  for  her.  Of  Jackson’s  immediate  family,  Laura  (Mrs. 
Arnold,  of  West  Virginia,)  is  the  only  survivor. 


CHAPTER  II. 


THE  CHILDHOOD  OF  JACKSON.  MARRIAGE  AND  DEATH  OF 
HIS  MOTHER.  HIS  LONG  WALK  TO  CUMMINS  JACKSON’s. 

We  come  now  to  our  hero,  Thomas  Jonathan  Jackson 
(Stonewall),  and  we  find  him  at  the  age  of  three  years  a 
fatherless  and  penniless  child.  We  take  him  by  the  hand, 
as  it  were,  and  lead  him  along,  until  he  is  large  enough  to  lead 
us — as  his  name  finally  lead  the  whole  world  in  fame ! ' 

We  can  picture  him  as  a sweet-faced,  blue-eyed  child,  his 
waving  brown  hair  falling  upon  the  grief-stricken  breast  of 
his  young  mother,  widowed  scarcely  ere  life  had  begun  for 
her,  and  see  the  tears  start  as  her  weeping  eyes  look  into  her 
infant  son’s  and  read  there  the  story  of  a life  too  great  for 
her  breaking  heart  to  fathom.  A child  grieves  by  seeing 
others  grieve.  This  little  child  knew  something  was  wrong, 
and  was  grieved.  No  child  passes  from  a great  sorrow  un- 
touched. Jackson  begun  life  in  sadness. 

As  at  least  the  main  portion  of  the  property  belonging  to 
Jackson’s  father  was  lost  through  his  acts  of  generosity  for 
those  who  abused  his  friendship,  the  family  at  the  death  of 
the  father  was  in  circumstances  next  to  poverty.  They  had 
to  give  up  the  Jackson  home  and  go  to  a cottage  prepared  for 
them  by  the  Masons,  in  which  order  Jackson’s  father  had 
been  a prominent  member  and  officer. 

In  this  cottage  the  widowed  mother  taught  a small  school, 
and  also  did  some  sewing  for  her  friends,  and  by  means  of 
this  scanty  income  she  managed  to  keep  her  children  with 
her.  Several  members  of  her  own  and  her  husband’s  family 
offered  her  a home,  but  she  was  a woman  of  independent 
spirit  and  pride  and  did  not  wish  to  go  to  any  of  her  kindred, 
and  feel  dependent.  There  was  but  one  room  in  her  little 
cottage  home,  and  the  inconvenience  must  have  been  great,  as 
her  girlhood  and  married  life  had  been  spent  surrounded  by 
comforts. 

Mrs.  Jackson’s  health  prevented  her  continuing  very  long 

67 


58  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

in  this  cottage,  and  finally  she  consented  to  visit  her  brothers 
and  other  relatives.  She  was  predisposed  to  pulmonary 
trouble,  and  the  confinement,  discomforts  and  the  distress  of 
her  bereavement  weighed  heavily  upon  her. 

About  three  years  after  the  death  of  Mr.  Jackson,  she  mar- 
ried Mr.  B.  B.  Woodson,  a gentleman  of  excellent  social  con- 
nection, a resident  of  Cumberland  County.  Mr.  Woodson 
was  much  her  senior,  and  while  a man  of  purest  character  and 
generous  to  his  stepchildren,  was  an  impractical  man,  and 
having  no  other  income  than  that  created  by  the  limited 
practice  of  his  profession,  law,  Jackson’s  mother  was  com- 
pelled to  make  arrangements  for  her  children,  and  she  sent 
the  boys  to  their  relatives  and  kept  the  girl,  Laura,  with  her. 

This  was  a great  trial  for  the  mother  and  she  rapidly  de- 
clined in  health.  She  had  struggled  to  keep  her  children  with 
her,  and  her  relatives  warned  her  against  marriage,  and  offered 
her  a home  of  her  own  if  she  would  remain  unmarried,  but 
she  hoped  for  the  best  and  fate  was  against  her.  Another 
sorrow  to  her  was  the  appointment  of  her  husband  to  the 
position  of  clerk  of  court,  in  a county  far  from  her  relatives, 
and  this  distressed  her  deeply. 

The  scene  of  the  parting  from  her  little  boys  has  been  de- 
scribed by  an  eye-witness  as  one  of  the  most  affecting  he  had 
ever  witnessed.  Warren  had  gone  to  an  uncle’s,  and  Thomas’s 
time  came  to  leave.  An  old  family  servant  of  the  Jackson 
family,  “Uncle  Robinson,”  was  sent  for  and  the  child  was  to 
return  with  the  servant  on  horseback.  The  little  fellow  was 
provided  with  comforts  for  his  journey,  but  he  was  parting 
from  his  mother.  This  parting  Jackson  never  forgot ; it  made 
a deep  impression  upon  him,  as  he  was  a precocious  child,  and 
understood  ; he  was  devoted  to  his  mother  and  loved  her  with 
all  his  nature.  It  is  said  that  the  parting  came  near  breaking 
his  mother’s  heart  and  she  never  was  reconciled  after  the 
child  left  her. 

Thomas  was  mounted  on  the  horse  behind  “Uncle  Robin- 
son,” who  had  been  with  him  from  his  birth  almost,  as  he 
was  a slave  of  his  father’s.  The  moment  came  for 
the  final  parting  of  the  mother  from  her  little  son,  but  she 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


59 


called  him  back  even  after  the  horse  had  started,  and  again 
pressing  her  darling  one  to  her  heart,  wept  bitterly.  Jackson 
went  to  his  aunt’s,  and  his  brother,  Warren,  was  placed  at 
another  aunt’s,  sisters  of  Jackson’s  father,  who  lived  in  the 
country. 

About  a year  after  Jackson  left  his  mother,  she  died.  Thus 
he  was  an  orphan  at  the  age  oj^  seven.  He  was  sent  to  see  his 
mother  before  her  death,  and  was  by  her  bedside  when  she 
passed  away.  The  impression  of  those  moments,  and  the 
prayer  she  uttered  for  her  child,  as  he  stood  by  her  death-bed, 
he  never  forgot,  and  often  said  in  after  years  that  to  his 
mother  he  owed  a life  of  consecration  to  her  God. 

He  could  never  speak  of  his  mother  without  exhibiting  deep- 
est emotions.  She  was  revered  by  all  as  a woman  of  deep 
convictions,  earnest  faith,  great  piety,  and  devoted  to  all  mat- 
ters pertaining  to  the  life  to  come.  Truly  is  a pious  mother 
a blessing  from  Heaven,  and  to  the  pious  mothers  in  the  homes 
of  our  land  we  owe  the  civilization  for  which  America  is 
famed  throughout  the  world. 

Jackson’s  mother  is  buried  in  a small,  out-of-way  mountain 
burying-ground,  away  up  in  the  wild,  scenic  regions  of  West 
Virginia,  near  what  is  known  as  “Hawk’s  Nest.”  Several 
illustrations  will  be  given  of  this  rugged  country  and  a photo- 
graph of  the  grave  of  Jackson’s  mother  has  been  procured  and 
reproduced. 

Thf  Southern  people  should  see  to  it  voithout  delay  that  the 
remains  of  the  7nother  of  their  faithful  defe7zder.i  -who  gave 
his  noble  life  for  their  cause,  be  placed  7iear  his  at  Lexingto7i, 
Virginia,  a7id  we  hope  to  see  the  children  of  the  Corfederacy 
pay  this  tribute  to  his  memory  by  77ioving  her  re77iains  and  hav- 
ing erected  a shaft  to  her  77ie7nory , worthy  of  her  patriot  son.  To 
whom  of  all  the  grand  wo7nen  produced  07i  this  continent  should 
we  pay  7nore  ho77iage  and  honor,  than  the  77iother  of  A77ierica'‘ s 
illustrious  and  worldfa7ned  son.  Stonewall  fackson! 

In  the  year  1855,  Jackson  visited  his  mother’s  grave.  He 
had  placed  over  his  father’s  grave,  at  Clarksburg,  a handsome 


6o 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


tombstone  and  he  intended  to  have  his  mother’s  grave  suit- 
ably marked,  but  by  one  of  those  strange,  yet  most  common 
lapses  in  life,  he  failed  to  do  so,  and  in  the  excitement  of  the 
times  and  the  war  coming  on,  the  intentions  of  her  devoted 
son  were  transmitted,  and  to  one  of  Jackson’s  faithful  soldiers, 
Captain  Ransom,  of  Staunton,  Virginia,  who  loved  his  chief, 
this  saCred  privilege  was  given.  Soon  after  the  war  Captain 
Ransom,  at  his  own  expense,  placed  a monument  over  the  grave 
of  Jack.son’s  mother.  Up  to  that  time  her  grave  was  un- 
marked. 

It  has  been  said  that  Jackson’s  first  serious  impressions  of 
his  conversion  were  experienced  at  the  time  of  a visit  to  his 
mother’s  grave,  above  related.  There  were  many  scenes  in  the 
life  of  Jackson,  which,  had  they  been  transferred  to  canvas  by 
the  hand  of  a Guerry  or  a Devolso,  would  have  added  to  the 
world’s  grandest  emotional  beauty  and  pathos. 

Sublime  as  he  was  in  battle,  humble  as  he  was  in  his  lonely 
prayer-walks,  great  as  he  was  at  every  moment  of  his  illus- 
trious life,  who  would  not  cherish  a privilege  so  lofty  as 
relating  from  personal  observation,  this  scene — Jackson 
at  the  grave  of  his  mother  on  that  calm  summer  day,  away  in 
the  listening  recesses  of  her  native  ^mountains .?  Behold  the 
young  officer,  who  had  passed  the  baptism  of  battle  on  the 
ISIexican  plains  and  won  his  nation’s  reward,  weeping  by  the 
crumbling  mound  that  marked  his  loved  mother’s  last  place  of 
sleep,  in  mountain  solitude,  alone! 

He  has  himself  written:  “While  standing  at  her  grave  I 
experienced  feelings  to  which  up  to  that  time  I had  been  a 
stranger.’’  Then,  to  this  spot  the  world  owes  a character  in 
its  history  which  many  declare  has  no  parallel!  Poets, 
sculptors,  artists,  authors,  have  thrilled  the  ages  with  their 
portrayals  of  events  that  seem  to  call  to  their  creation  the  hand 
of  Him  who  claims  all  record  of  His  children  and  His  creation, 
but  where  is  found  a scene  about  which  all  would  linger — 
Jackson’s  visit  to  his  mother’s  grave!  There  he  was  in- 
spired. There  the  voices  of  heaven  entered  his  soul.  There 
he  resolved  : A resolution  that  has  given  the  world  a Chris- 
tian soldier  whose  example  will  live  to  the  end  of  time. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  6i 

When  a child,  a bright-eyed,  cherry-lipped,  curly-headed 
mountain  boy,  she  was  do  him  the  sweetest  of  all  ladies,  the 
gentlest  of  all  people,  the  prettiest  person  in  all  the  world.  A 
kiss  from  her  gave  him  the  happiest  of  pleasures.  Her  hand 
alone  could  heal  the  wounds  of  his  daily  trials,  her  voice  drive 
away  discords  of  a child’s  fancy.  Her  eyes  and  fair  cheeks 
were  as  lessons  in  beauty  to  him.  He  thought  as  the  poet, 
“Angels  are  painted  fair  to  look  like  thee.” 

But  she  was  more  than  all  of  this  to  Jackson.  She  was  his 
guide  from  evil  thoughts  or  vicious  deeds  to  the  end  of  his  life. 
To  think  of  her,  and  his  prayers  at  her  knee  when  a child,  would 
lead  him  to  those  realms  beyond  mortal  ken — there  he  would 
see  his  mother.  Thus  he  learned  to  pray.  He  became  the 
greatest  of  all  Christian  soldiers  the  world  has  ever  known 
through  the  influence  of  that  pious  mother. 

Jackson  is  pictured  to  us  by  those  who  knew  him  from  in- 
fancy as  a child  of  rare  beauty.  He  had  very  blue  eyes,  pen- 
sive and  deep ; his  hair  was  curly  and  worn  long,  of  a brown 
color  not  as  dark  as  his  mother’s ; he  was  formed  something 
like  his  father,  stout.  His  complexion  was  fair  almost  like  a 
girl’s,  and  this  complexion  he  retained  until  his  severe  army 
campaigns  and  exposure  as  a soldier,  imparted  the  tinge  of  sun- 
burn. He  was  a very  polite  and  gentle  child.  These  traits 
never  left  him.  He  was  courteous  to  the  last  moment  of  his 
life.  Among  his  chief  characteristics  were  his  uniform  urban- 
ity and  courtesy. 

He  was  a headstrong  boy,  but  not  stubborn.  He  is  on 
record  as  doing  what  no  child  has  done  before ; that  is,  as  far 
as  we  have  account.  He  took  offense  at  something  his  aunt’s 
husband  did.  and  the  determined  little  fellow  took  his  hat  and 
left  the  house.  He  was  only  eight  years  old.  Think  of  it,  a 
child  of  his  age  deliberately  leaving  his  home  and  going  away 
because  he  felt  himself  imposed  upon  or  insulted.  He  went 
to  Clarksburg,  to  Judge  Jackson’s,  a cousin,  walked  into  the 
house  and  went  directly  to  his  aunt  and  asked  her  to  give  him 
some  dinner,  saying  that  he  was  very  hungry  and  had  just  had 
a long  walk. 


02 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


His  aunt  was  confused,  but  after  he  sat  down  to  the  table, 
he,  without  lifting  up  his  head,  said,  very  coolly  : “Uncle  and  I 
don’t  agree  ; I have  quit  him.  I shall  not  go  back  any  more.” 
His  kind  aunt  thought  it  only  a childish  whim,  but  could  not 
help  feeling  a certain  pride  in  the  plucky  little  orphan.  The 
uncle  whom  Jackson  left  was  related  to  him  only  by  marriage 
to  his  aunt,  his  father’s  half-sister.  He  was  of  German  de- 
scent and  while  a man  of  excellent  character,  was  not  accus- 
tomed to  people  of  Jackson’s  mettle,  and  undertook  to  govern 
the  child  by  force.  Had  he  appealed  to  Jackson’s  sense  of 
conscience  or  affections,  results  would  have  been  different. 
This  is  the  respectable  way  to  govern  children.  A child  of 
proper  spirit  is  by  kindness,  easily  governed. 

The  practice  of  whipping  and  abusing  children  is  barbarous, 
and  only  to  be  tolerated  among  savages.  Nothing  is  more 
cruel  and  cowardly  than  the  whipping  or  abusing  of  a help- 
less child,  and  there  should  be  strictest  laws  enacted  to  punish 
any  parent  or  person  who  whips  or  abuses  a child.  No  school 
officer  or  teacher  should  be  permitted  to  inflict  corporal  pun- 
ishment upon  a pupil.  Solomon  lived  in  an  age  when  science 
was  comparative!}'-  unknown.  Christianity  can  not  tolerate 
consistently,  child-beating.  Society  and  civilization  must  re' 
volt  at  the  thought.  Kindness,  sympathy,  and  encouragement 
will  develop  highest  types  of  child-men  and  child- women. 

While  eating  his  dinner,  Jackson  listened  to  his  aunt  and 
all  she  had  to  say,  but  did  not  change  his  mind.  He  responded 
each  time  in  the  same  words  he  used  at  first,  that  he  had  disa- 
greed with  his  uncle-in-law,  and  he  would  not  return  to  the 
place  again.  This  boy  was  truly  “father  to  the  man.” 

The  same  firmness  and  resolution  manifested  in  him  as  a 
mere  child  of  eight  was  characteristic  through  life,  and  was 
illustrated  on  the  last  day  of  his  brilliant  career  in  battle  when 
he  fought  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville — his  last  battle — and 
made  up  his  mind  to  flank  Hooker,  which  flank  movement 
is  pronounced  the  most  forceful  in  all  military  history  for  skil 
and  courage  and  faithful  execution.  He  defeated  Hooker, 
and  rebuked  Hooker’s  arrogant  boast  recorded  in  history. 

Jackson  had  another  relative  in  Clarksburg,  a cousin  who 


Story  of  StOxYEwall  Jackson.  63 

had  recently  married  and  gone  to  housekeeping.  This  was 
his  favorite  cousin  and  it  was  thought  she  would  have  some 
influence  with  the  child,  but  she  failed  to  change  his  mind  in 
the  least.  He  spent  the  night  with  this  cousin,  and  the  next 
morning,  when  she  remonstrated  with  him,  he  replied;  “No^ 
uncle  and  I don’t  agree  ; I have  quit  him.  I shall  not  go  back 
anj'  more.” 

But  what  astonished  his  relatives  more  than  his  action  just 
related,  and  will  astound  the  reader,  as  it  has  every  one,  oc- 
curred next  morning  when  Jackson  took  his  departure  for  his 
uncle’s,  Mr.  Cummin  Jackson,  who  lived  eightee7t  miles  away, 
over  the  mountains.  This  child  walked  this  distance  alone ! 
Does  the  determination  of  a Warren  Hastings  or  a Newton 
compare  with  this  bold  determination  of  Jackson  at  the  age  of 
eight  ? 

The  country  about  Clarksburg,  West  Virginia,  is  mountain- 
ous. The  lands  are  productive  even  on  the  hills,  while  the 
valleys  and  coves  are  equal  in  fertility  to  ariy  in  the  United 
States.  In  the  time  of  Jackson’s  remarkable  walk  to  his 
uncle’s,  over  seventy  years  ago,  the  country  was  thinly  set- 
tled, and  the  timber  even  at  the  present  day  is  dense  in  many 
parts  of  the  way  over  which  Jackson’s  child  feet  passed. 

His  adventure  awes  one  when  we  contemplate  the  entire 
surroundings  of  the  event.  The  child  could  not  have  known 
fear,  else  he  would  have  returned  to  his  relatives  in  Clarks- 
burg, but  from  accounts  of  his  life,  written  and  verbal,  we 
conclude  that  his  pride  was  equal  to  his  sensitiveness,  and  his 
love  for  liberty  and  independence  all-bounding.  He  had  his 
mind  firmly  fixed  that  he  would  never  submit  to  conditions 
from  which  he  was  taking  a final  leave,  and  this  thought 
urged  the  brave  little  orphan  to  his  goal — his  uncle’s,  Air. 
Cummins  Jackson,  who  was  always  his  friend. 

Who  reads  this  book  and  calls  to  mind  this  heroic  deed  of 
the  child,  will  not  wonder  at  his  mastering  lessons  at  West 
Point  with  a degree  of  success  that  astonished  even  his  fellow 
students,  who  saw  his  constant  labor  at  his  books  and  knew 
how  unprepared  he  was  when  he  entered  the  Academy.  Nor 
will  they  wonder  at  his  fighting  the  Mexicans  in  overwhelm- 


64 


Story  ok  Stonewalt  Jackson. 


ing  numbers — a whole  regiment — with  one  cannon,  and  he 
managing  that  alone,  or  nearly  so,  or  that  he  knew  no  such 
thing  as  defeat  when  he  fought  the  invaders  of  his  native 
countr}' — Virginia,  which  he  believed  was  wronged  by  the 
North.  He  knew  no  fear  as  a child,  and  certainly  he  knew  no 
fear  in  battle,  as  he  swept  his  foes,  who  often  outnumbered  his 
forces  five  and  six  to  one,  like  chaff,  from  every  field  he  met 
them  on.  He  made  up  his  mind,  he  felt  he  was  right  and 
fought  to  the  death  in  that  honest  belief 

If  the  boy  is  parent  to  the  man,  then  may  be  expected  a de- 
termined man  and  a brave  one  to  come  of  a boy  like  Jackson. 
His  love  of  independence  and  disregard  of  anything  like 
danger  was  largely  the  result  of  parentage  and  the  environ- 
ments of  his  childhood.  On  both  sides  his  ancestry  had  lived 
in  the  far  western  part  of  Virginia,  then  sparsely  settled,  and 
the  inhabitants  were  exposed  to  every  kind  of  danger. 
Indians  and  wild  animals  were  plentiful. 

No  one  can  doubt  that  Southern  people  inherit  a certain  de- 
gree of  their  confessed  high  courage  from  their  ancestry,  who, 
like  Jackson’s,  braved  for  generations,  the  dangers  and  hard- 
ships of  a hazardous  life  among  savages  and  semi-savages, 
negroes,  wild  animals,  etc.  Their  independence  of  spirit  and 
will  arises  from  their  lordly  domain. 

At  Mr.  Cummins  Jackson’s  was  Warren,  Jackson’s 
brother.  This  gave  Jackson  a playmate  as  well  as  a brother 
and  natural  companion,  which  made  Jackson  very  happy, 
and  had  it  not  been  for  the  absence  of  his  sister  and  the  sense 
of  his  orphanage,  his  happiness  would  have  been  perfect.  His 
uncle  was  always  kind  to  him  and  his  two  half-aunts,  who 
lived  with  Mr.  Cummins  Jackson,  were  like  mothers  to  him. 

We  give  here  a picture  of  the  house  in  which  Jackson  spent 
his  boyhood,  also  the  mill  where  he  worked  as  a boy  and 
youth.  Jackson  is  represented  as  being  a very  industrious 
child  and  youth,  and  was  a stand-by  with  his  uncle,  who  took 
pride  in  the  courageous  little  orphan  whom  he  loved  so  well. 

Mr.  Cummins  Jackson  was  a planter,  stock-raiser,  mill- 
owner,  lumber-manufacturer  and  a man  of  affairs  generally. 
He  was  a busy  man  in  consequence,  and  as  he  raised  horses 


House  in  which  Jackson’s  Mother  Died. 


Facing  the  grave  yard  and  about  300  yards  distant  ma}"  be  seen 
the  little  cottage  where  Jackson’s  mother  died.  Though  somewhat 
remodeled  it  is  about  as  it  appeared  when  she  died. — Ben  D.  Koontz. 


In  the  West  Virginia  Mountains. — On  the  Scenic  Chesapeake  & Ohio  R.  R. 


‘Hawk's  Nest”  on  New  River,  West  \''irginia,  Near  Burial  Place  of  Jackson’s  Moth'^. 
This  grand  Scenery  is  on  the  C & O.  R.  R.  in  West  Virginia. 


C & O.  R.  R.  near  Ansted,  where  Jackson’s  Mother  Died. 


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Grave  of  Jackson’s  Mother. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


69 


and  cattle  for  the  markets,  he  was  often  away  from 
home.  He  was  for  that  day  and  time,  a rich  man,  lived 
well  and  enjoyed  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the 
most  influential  men  in  that  section  of  Virginia.  He 
was  not,  however,  like  Jackson’s  father,  in  that  he 
was  not  a religious  man.  He  was  upright,  honorable, 
and  a good  citizen.  Was  fond  of  amusements,  and  these  took 
the  shape  mainly  of  racing  horses,  which,  as  is  well  known, 
was  in  the  early  days  of  Virginia  a great  sport  and  indulged 
in  by  the  foremost  men  of  the  time.  Jackson  used  to  ride 
races  for  his  uncle,  and  when  a boy  only  twelve  years  of  age, 
there  was,  according  to  the  old  men  who  remember  Jackson, 
and  who  tell  of  his  boyhood  life,  no  rider  who  could  excel  him. 
His  uncle  owned  many  horses ; and  nothing  pleases  a boy  as 
much  as  a spirited  horse,  especially  to  be  allowed  to  race  one. 
Jackson  was  full  of  spirit  and  he  is  said  to  have  thoroughly 
enjoyed  racing  his  uncle’s  horses,  and  never  allowed  them  to 
lose,  if  good  riding  could  prevent. 

Mr.  Cummins  Jackson  was  a large  man,  resembling 
the  Cummins  side  of  the  Jackson  family,  his  grand- 
mother having  been  six  feet  tall  and  very  large.  He 
showed  too  the  Cummins  and  Jackson  powers  of  resist- 
ance and  -will  to  fight  for  one’s  rights,  even  to  liti- 
gate. He  loved  excitement  and  took  part  in  political  races 
at  times,  not  because  of  any  personal  interest  particularly, 
,but  for  the  love  of  the  tilt  and  to  do  some  personal  friend 
a favor.  A man  was  considered  fortunate  who  won  his 
good  will  in  a political  contest,  as  his  candidates  usually  won. 
He  bore  no  malice,  was  notoriously  liberal  and  was  a benefac- 
tor to  many  in  need,  and  was  adored  by  his  neighbors.  He  is 
said  to  have  been  a harsh  enemy  when  once  convinced  a per- 
son intended  to  injure  him.  He  was  the  fond  patron  of  Stone- 
wall Jackson,  and  for  this,  his  countrymen  owe  him  an  ever- 
lasting debt  of  gratitude. 

As  stated,  Mr.  Cummins  Jackson  was  not  a religious  man  ; 
that  is,  he  is  said  to  have  been  respectfully  indifferent  to  re- 
ligion. It  must  be  remembered  that  seventy  years  ago,  in 
that  remote  part  of  the  country,  the  cause  of  religion  was  not 


yo  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

as  fully  advocated  as  to-day,  and  then  too,  with,  all  due  re- 
spect to  the  good  men  who  at  that  time,  in  the  distant 
West,  labored  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord,  they  were  not 
likely  of  such  mould  as  would  reach  a man  of  Mr.  Jackson’s 
calibre,  and  thus  probably,  his  early  training  was  neglected 
in  the  dire  claims  of  a severe  frontier  life.  Under  this  man’s 
influence  Jackson  passed  that  period  in  which  he  most  needed 
moral  and  religious  training — the  age  of  childhood  and  early 
youth. 

He  had  scarcely  any  church  privileges  or  religious  training ; 
but  at  the  knee  of  his  sainted  mother,  he  had  received  the 
blessings  of  her  prayers,  and  at  her  death-bed  she  had 
passed  to  him  her  dying  legacy — a firm  and  beautiful  faith  in 
Christ  which  never  deserted  him.  Although  he  had  no  one 
to  counsel,  warn,  and  cheer  him  after  she  was  gone  or  with  the 
same  degree  of  love  and  interest,  he  never  strayed  from  the 
path  into  which  she  had  turned  his  feet,  and  his  life  of 
innocence  and  freedom  from  vice,  wickedness,  and  malice,  is 
a monument  to  her,  but  casts  no  shadow  upon  those  kind 
friends  who  cared  for  him  and  who  watched  over  him,  a 
tender,  orphan  child.  That  he  had  careful  training  his  life 
clearly  proves,  but  naturally,  had  his  surroundings  been  more 
to  the  note  that  ever  sounded  in  his  childish  heart,  he  would 
have  been  likely  as  eminent  a minister  of  the  gospel  as  he  was 
a warrior  and  Christian  soldier. 


CHAPTER  III. 


EARLY  RESPONSIBILITIES.  SCHOOL  DAYS.  BOYHOOD 
AND  CHARACTERISTICS. 

We  are  told  that  Jackson’s  uncle  treated  him  more  like  a 
companion  than  a child,  and  confided  in  him  many  of  his 
affairs.  At  an  early  age  his  uncle  assigned  duties  to  him 
that  made  him  self-reliant;  and  a picture  of  the  mill,  which 
was  the  largest  in  that  country,  is  given.  The  dilapidated 
appearance  is  due  to  age  and  neglect.  Steam-mills  have  sup- 
planted these  old  water-power  mills. 

Here  Jackson  was  often  in  charge  when  only  a lad  scarcely 
in  his  teens.  He  knew  his  uncle’s  affairs  better  than  any  one 
else,  and  no  doubt  the  duties  and  confidence  bestowed  by  his 
august  relative,  made  Jackson  appreciate  confidence  and  duty 
in  after-life.  One  of  his  characteristics  was  his  care  in  all 
matters,  small  or  great,  his  deliberation  and  minute  consider- 
ation of  subjects  and  affairs. 

Jackson,  too,  was  noted  for  his  reticence,  and  this  no  doubt 
was  the  result  of  early  responsibilities  and  the  value  he  at- 
tached to  secrecy  in  matters  requiring  business  tact  and  care. 
All  who  came  in  contact  with  Jackson  were  impressed  by  the 
calm  repose  marking  him  as  an  auditor;  and  the  precise,  pru- 
dent and  thoughtful  replies  he  would  make.  Quick  as  a flash 
when  called  upon  suddenly  to  act,  he  was  equally  slow  in  giv- 
ing an  opinion  upon  matters  coming  under  his  observation, 
in  a casual  way.  In  other  words,  Jackson  was  rather  a man 
of  action  and  self-confidence,  than  one  given  to  words. 

The  educational  advantages  of  the  child  were  very  meagre. 
His  uncle  sent  him  to  the  “old-field  school”  and  there  he 
showed  the  trait  of  intellect  that  marked  him  through  life. 
There  was  not  that  action  and  excitement  in  letters  necessary 
to  bring  the  latent  forces  of  his  being  into  play,  and  he  stag- 
gered under  the  droll  of  text  rote.  Like  the  eminent  states- 
man, Webster,  the  schoolroom  could  not  develop  those  forces 
71 


7^ 


Stohy  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


within  him  that  action  brought  to  the  front,  and  that  made 
him  as  a man  of  action,  unsurpassed.  Many  who  are'  accounted 
dull  in  their  classes  dazzle  the  world  when  the  time  comes 
for  action,  and  the  cjuality  of  their  minds  are  called  into  e.xer- 
cise  upon  original  propositions  and  occasions. 

He  was  a determined  little  fellow  and  labored  over  his 
books  faithfully.  In  all  studies  but  arithmetic,  he  was  unable 
to  keep  up  with  his  classes.  In  arithmetic,  none  surpassed 
him.  If  he  was  not  prepared  to  recite  a lesson  he  would  say 
so,  and  was  often  a day  behind  his  schoolmates  in  the  class 
lessons.  When  asked  to  recite  his  lessons,  if  he  did  not  know 
them  as  well  as  he  thought  he  should,  he  would  confess 
the  fact  before  the  entire  school  and  next  day  would  be 
prepared.  Would  tell  his  teacher  he  did  not  know  anything 
about  '•'■that  lesson”  as  he  had  not  gotten  to  “//2a/ one,”  but 
would  recite  the  one  he  had  failed  on  the  day  before. 

Nothing  would  induce  him  to  skip  a lesson  or  make  mere 
guesses  at  it,  and  he  would  not  tell  a lie  even  as  a child,  or 
pretend  to  know  or  do  something  that  he  knew  nothing 
about.  He  was  a painstaking  student  as  a child,  and  when 
he  knew  a lesson  he  knew  it,  and  there  was  no  mistaking  the 
tact. 

An  instance  of  his  determination  is  related  by  an  old  ac- 
quaintance who  knew  him  well.  Once  at  the  school  he  was 
engaged  during  recess  in  making  what  all  country  children 
have  seen,  a corn-stalk  fiddle.  The  bell  rang,  terminating 
the  recess,  but  Jackson  worked  on  and  did  not  heed  the  signal. 
His  sister  was  sent  out  for  him  but  he  refused  to  go  into  the 
schoolroom,  and  not  until  the  teacher  came  for  him  would  he 
abandon  his  fiddle-making.  He  told  the  teacher,  “wait  till  I 
finish  this  fiddle.”  but  being  compelled  to  go  into  the  school- 
room, immediately  upon  the  closing  of  the  school  for  the 
day  he  resumed  his  task,  making  the  toy  fiddle. 

At  that  period,  owing  to  the  s(  a.xity  of  labor  and  schol- 
lars,  the  schools  were  sparse  and  were  taught  only  a few 
months  during  the  year,  and  these  months  were  in  the  winter, 
as  the  children  were  required  o work  in  the  fields.  Slaves 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


73 


were,  with  few  exceptions,  not  taken  to  that  region  and  nearly 
all  labor  was  performed  by  the  white  people. 

Jackson  must  have  possessed  a fondness  for  the  violin,  as 
he  learned  to  play  the  violin  when  very  young,  his  favorite 
tune  bring  a popular  air  of  the  day,  known  as  “Napoleon’s  Re- 
treat.” He  was  a gi'eat  admirer  of  Napoleon  ; and  his  life, 
in  some  respects,  especially  the  military  experiences,  has  been 
often  compared  to  Napoleon’s.  In  our  childhood  and 
youth  we  often  imitate  unconsciously  those  whose  lives  im- 
press us.  “Lives  of  great  men  all  remind  us,”  etc.,  was  not 
written  in  idle  thought  by  America’s  poet. 

Another  instance  of  the  determination  of  Jackson  in  his 
childhood  is  illustrated  by  his  disposition  to  overcome  all  ob- 
stacles. On  his  uncle’s  farms  were  forests  of  trees  and  among 
them  many  sugar-maple  ti'ees.  These  trees  in  the  spring  or 
late  winter  emit  a sap,  which,  when  prepared  properly,  makes 
a delicious  table  syrup  and  confection.  The  sap  is  obtained  by 
boring  holes  in  the  trees,  into  which  holes  a tube  made  of  thin 
bark  is  inserted,  this  tube  acting  as  a syphon.  Jackson  was  ex- 
pert even  as  a child  in  making  these  succiferous  appliances. 
The  sap  is  caught  up  in  vessels  of  any  convenient  kind,  usual- 
ly buckets,  and  is  boiled  in  pots  until  the  proper  consistency 
is  obtained,  when  it  is  deposited  in  barrels,  kegs,  jugs  and 
bottles,  and  shipped  to  all  parts  of  the  country  and  sold  as 
maple  syrup.  By  boiling  the  sap  longer  the  reduction  reaches 
the  consistency  of  sugar,  and  while  warm  is  run  into  various 
kinds  of  moulds,  forming  what  is  called  cakes.  This  product 
is  known  as  maple  sugar  and  is  popular. 

Jackson  and  his  sister  would  roam  over  the  fields  and  hills 
of  their  uncle’s  farms,  and  in  maple-sugar  season  they  were 
very  busy  in  making  sugar  and  syrup.  These  trees,  the  sugar- 
trees,  were  some  distance  from  the  residence  and  beyond  a 
creek  or  stream,  so  Jackson  made  a bridge  himself,  with  his 
little  sister’s  aid,  and  they  used  it  in  all  their  trips  to  and  from 
the  trees  and  their  operations  there.  They  got  the  sap,  boiled 
it  themselves,  and  conducted  their  own  enterprises. 

It  is  notable  that  this  bridge  was  a credit  to  a child  much 
older  than  Jackson  ; but  when  he  was  called  on  in  after  years. 


74  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

to  cross  streams  with  his  army,  and  the  streams  required 
bridging,  he  was  not  at  a loss  to  build  them  and  aided  in  per- 
son in  their  construction.  He  made  one  bridge  over  the 
Shenandoah  River,  the  day  he  defeated  both  Fremont  and 
Shields  of  the  invading  army,  and  built  its  supports  with  the 
running  gear  of  wagons. 

Jackson  was  a boy  in  every  fibre  of  his  being.  He  loved  to 
hunt,  shoot,  trap,  and  fish.  He  drove  oxen  “like  a man.”  He 
broke  horses  and  oxen,  and  trained  them  to  work.  He  had 
bird-traps,  snares,  deadfalls,  with  which  he  caught  game,  and 
fish-baskets  that  he  would  fix  in  the  streams  and  catch  fish. 
He  and  his  sister  hunted  together  and  caught  many  rabbits 
jointly. 

They  would  often  run  the  rabbit  into  a hollow  log,  and  he 
would  place  his  sister  Laura  at  one  end  and  by  means  of 
sticks,  split  so  as  to  catch  the  rabbit’s  hair  or  fur,  would  often 
get  them  out  alive.  This  requires  perseverance,  as  all  know 
who  have  tried  the  experiment.  Some  of  his  soldiers  during 
the  war,  who  knew  something  of  Jackson’s  boyhood  ways, 
said  he  was  delighted  when  he  got  his  foe,  the  invaders,  “in 
a hollow  log,  and  stopped  up  both  ends.” 

A story  is  related  of  Jackson  when  about  eleven  years  of 
age.  He  was  a “steady  fisher”  in  the  parlance  of  the  moun- 
taineers ; and  a gentleman  in  the  neighborhood  one  day,  notic- 
ing the  child’s  determination  and  desiring  to  encourage  him, 
said  : “Tom,  I want  to  buy  all  the  fish  you  catcii  this  season. 
I will  pay  you  ten  cents  for  small  fish,  and  all  over  one-foot 
long  I will  pay  you  fifty  cents  apiece  for.”  The  bargain  was 
agreed  upon,  and  regularly  the  fish  were  caught  and  delivered. 

On  one  occasion  the  little  fellow  caught  a pike — a fine 
mountain-fish,  measuring  two  feet  in  length.  Some  men  see- 
ing the  child  going  to  deliver  his  fish,  noticed  this  specimen  of 
rare  size,  and  offered  him  one  dollar  for  the  pike.  The  offer 
was  refused  with  the  explanation  that  he  had  agreed  to  sell  all 
his  fish  to  his  regular  customer.  Two  dollars  was  finally  of- 
fered, doubtless  more  in  a spirit  of  humor,  and  to  test  the  faith 
of  the  child.  This  was  refused. 

The  youthful  fisher  con  on  tinuedhis  way  to  his  patron  and 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


75 


delivered  the  fish.  His  patron,  remarking  upon  the  size  of 
the  splendid  pike,  offered  him  a dollar  instead  of  the  usual 
fifty  cents  price  for  one-foot  fish,  but  Jackson  refused  to  ac- 
cept it  saying,  “Some  of  the  fish  you  paid  me  fifty  cents  for, 
were  not  quite  a foot  long,  and  this  one  will  make  up  the  dif- 
ference.” Taking  the  fift)'  cents,  he  left. 

This  instance  in  the  life  of  Jackson  bears  out  the  words  con- 
tained in  a letter  received  some  years  since,  from  Ex-Senator 
Camden,  of  West  Virginia.  Referring  to  Jackson,  the  senator 
wrote  : “The  man  developed  the  characteristics  of  the  boy.” 

The  three  orphans,  Warren,  Thomas,  and  Laura,  were  by 
the  generous  consideration  of  Mr.  Cummins  Jackson,  kept  from 
being  separated,  and  the  three  lived  in  contentment  together. 
Warren  was  not  a child  of  as  tractable  nature  as  his  younger 
brother  Thomas,  and  he  did  not  like  school  or  the  idea  of  be- 
ing dependent. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


JACKSON  PLAYS  ROBINSON  CRUSOE  ON  A MISSISSIPPI  RIVER  IS- 
LAND, WHEN  A BOY  UNDER  TEN  YEARS  OF  AGE. 

Warren  was  aware  of  his  brother’s  inclination  to  see  some- 
thing of  the  world  and  that  he  was  not  fond  of  the  common- 
place, and  monotony  of  the  old-field  school,  so  the  elder  brother 
used  his  influence,  and  persuaded  Thomas  to  do  that  which  he 
afterwards  regretted.  Jackson  felt  it  his  duty  to  attend  school 
and  was  faithful  in  the  application  imposed  by  same,  and 
while  he  never  missed  a day  from  his  class,  that  feeling  of  in- 
dependence and  resistance  against  dependence,  which  no 
doubt,  Warren  inflamed,  caused  him  to  run  away  from  his 
uncle’s  before  the  opening  of  the  next  term  of  school. 

While  Jackson  may  never  have  forgiven  himself  for  this 
indirect  desertion — yet  it  must  be  remembered  that  he  was  a 
child,  was  devoted  to  his  brother,  fond  of  adventure  and  was 
allured  by  the  pictures  so  intensely  attractive  to  a boy’s  mind, 
and  he  yielded.  Then,  too,  he  inherited,  though  doubtless  in 
a minor  degree,  impulsiveness  from  his  most  amiable  and 
gentle  mother.. 

Ingratitude  could  not  have  crossed  the  child’s  heart.  He 
was  too  young  to  know  about  this  element  in  human  nature 
so  few  escape  when  life  advances,  and  the  forgetfulness  which 
is  so  convenient  where  obligation  is  involved.  Jackson  was 
too  young  to  consider  other  than  the  bright  and  alluring 
pictures  his  brother’s  boyish  eloquence  and  his  own  imagina- 
tion and  fancy  placed  before  him. 

This  consideration  of  the  feature  ingratitude,  and  of  the  re- 
markable adventure  in  the  life  of  Jackson  here  following,  is 
mentioned  because  Jackson  was  a most  devoted,  considerate, 
and  grateful  friend,  and  he  could  not  have  been  capable,  in  his 
extreme  youth,  of  considering  ingratitude  towards  his  noble 
benefactor,  Mr.  Cummins  Jackson.  Jackson  was  a thought- 

76 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


77 


fill  child;  his  brother,  Warren,  was  of  a different  tempera- 
ment, as  subsequent  events  show.  Jackson  if  at  the  age  of  his 
brother,  Warren,  when  they  ran  away  from  their  uncle,  would 
never  have  indulged  the  impulse,  matters  not  how  thrilling 
the  thought  of  seeing  the  great  world  beyond  the  mountains. 

The  two  runaways,  after  making  their  journey  over  the 
mountainous  country,  finally  reached  their  uncle’s  at  Parkers- 
burg, West  Virginia.  This  uncle  was  Mr.  Neale,  a planter 
who  owned  an  island  in  the  Ohio  River.  He  was  their 
mother’s  brother,  and  lived  a great  distance  from  Mr.  Cum- 
mins Jackson’s,  and  this  distance  these  children  covered  all 
alone  and  on  foot.  The  country  to  this  day  is  not  what  would 
be  called  a thickly  inhabited  region,  and  at  that  time  was  wild 
and  thinly  settled. 

Air.  Neale,  like  Mr.  Cummins  Jackson,  was  a man  of  affairs. 
He  was  attached  to  these  orphan  boys  and  at  once  put  them 
at  school.  Warren  in  a short  time  spread  his  wings  to  fly. 
He  took  his  little  brother  with  him,  as  Thomas  would  not  de- 
sert him.  He  was  never  known  in  all  his  life  to  desert  a 
friend,  and  when  he  left  his  Uncle  Cummins,  he  certainly  did 
not  look  upon  his  leaving  as  desertion.  He  may  have  felt  the 
act  an  imprudent  departure. 

They  went  down  the  Ohio  River  on  boats,  seeking  as  best 
they  could  a livelihood,  until  they  got  into  the  Mississippi 
River.  Finally  they  landed  on  an  island,  and,  though  one  was 
only  twelve  and  the  other  about  nine,  they  took  a contract  to 
cut  cord-wood  for  the  steamers  on  the  river  Their  island 
was  off  the  southwestern  part  of  the  Kentucky  shore. 

They  lived  in  a deserted  cabin  and  were  entirely  alone  on 
the  island ; regular  Robinson  Crusoe  life  as  far  as  their  sur- 
roundings were  concerned.  Their  music  was  the  moaning 
winds  in  the  tall  cottonwood-trees,  the  surging  of  the  river  and 
the  song  of  swamp-birds.  Occasionally,  a steamer  would  stop 
to  take  on  wood  and  then  the  boys  would  see  something  of 
the  signs  of  life  in  the  world  without.  They  were  veritable 
little  wood-choppers  and  they  were  sole  inhabitants  of  that 
island. 

How  they  managed  their  cuisine,  boudoir,  and  toilet  they 


jS  Story  of  Stonewalr  Jackson. 

never  gave  account.  In  fact,  neither  would  tell  much  of  the 
routine  or  details  of  their  life  on  this  desolate  spot.  Many 
times  they  must  have  sighed  for  the  comforts  and  beauty  of 
their  uncle’s  home.  Many  times  thoughts  of  the  green  hills  of 
far-away  Virginia,  and  “the  tender  touch  of  a hand  that  is 
gone  and  a voice  forever  stilled,”  must  have  scored  pain  upon 
their  tender  memory. 

The  future  held  for  these  frail  orphan  boys  but  a glimmer  of 
light.  Truants  hover  under  clouds  that  are  difficult  to  expel^ 
Few  of  us  who  have  attempted  in  childhood  to  pass  beyond 
home  and  its  environments,  and  escape  what  we  imagined 
were  restrictions  unduly  administered,  but  felt,  before  the  ex. 
periment  had  progressed  to  within  range  of  our  great  expecta- 
tions, that  we  had  better  have  borne  the  ills  we  had  than  fly 
to  others  we  knew  not  of.  To  these  two  boys  their  experi- 
ment began  to  assume  serious  aspects,  and  they  realized  that, 
instead  of  being  heroes  in  the  great  struggle  of  life,  that  they 
were  helpless,  disappointed  exiles,  self-constituted,  never- 
theless. 

The  rude  roustabouts  of  the  rough  river  boats  that  passed 
the  island,  on  which  these  boys  had  taken  up  their  abode,  lit- 
tle thought  when  they  saw  the  pale-faced  urchin  at  the  boat- 
landing, delivering  cord-wood  his  own  hands  had  helped  to  cut, 
that  he  was  destined  to  be  the  crown-prince  in  that  sphere 
where  heroes  and  heroes  only  are  permitted  to  enter ; or  when 
they  plied  the  little  fellow  with  their  jokes,  that  the  time 
would  come  when  they  would  hear  of  him  as  the  greatest 
man  in  history,  as  a Christian  soldier  and  military  genius.  But 
such  is  American  fortune,  the  possibilities  of  the  boys  in 
this  land  are  not  limited ; if  they  do  their  duty  there  is  no 
power  to  keep  them  from  fame  and  honor  and  their  just 
reward.  So  with  the  immortal  Jackson. 

The  effects  of  malaria  in  the  swampy  islands  soon  begun  to 
show  upon  the  health  of  both  the  boys,  especially  Warren, 
and  having  contracted  chills  and  fever  during  their  several 
months’  stay,  Jackson  decided  to  “take  the  lead”  this  time 
himself,  and  told  his  brother  they  must  leave  that  place,  and 
by  the  next  boat  that  stopped,  which  they  did. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  79 

He  was  alone,  practically. ' His  brother  was  suffering  and 
languishing  in  the  throes  of  a malignant  fever,  and  he  him. 
self  wasting  in  ill  health  from  the  exposed  life  he  had  lead. 
Alone,  waiting,  watching,  in  the  wretched  silence  and  soli- 
tude of  a dismal  jungle,  the  river  island,  we  contemplate  him 
as  the  subject  of  solicitude,  even  at  this  remote  day,  when  we 
think  of  the  loss  the  world  would  have  sustained  had  he  been 
of  less  determined  mold. 

Can  we  wonder  as  we  read  of  Jackson,  when,  upon  the  eve 
of  battle,  going  out  into  the  night  and  communing  with  his 
God,  that  those  great  waves  of  sadness  that  seemed  to  sweep 
over  his  profound  heart,  were  billowed  up  by  the  memory  of 
those  hours  on  that  desolate  island,  in  the  wilderness  of 
anguish,  when  in  his  boyish  but  brave  heart,  while  there  alone, 
he  faced  the  fitful  possibilities  of  human  frailty. 

The  boys  arrived  at  their  uncle’s,  Mr.  Alfred  Neale,  and 
after  enjoying  his  lavish  hospitality  for  some  time  went  to 
their  father's  relatives.  Warren  went  to  his  aunt’s,  Mrs. 
Brake’s,  where  he  was  gladly  received  and  Jackson  went 
again  to  his  uncle’s,  Mr.  Cummins  Jackson.  He  too  was 
welcomed  heartily.  The  meeting  is  said  to  have  been  very 
affecting  between  the  uncle  and  nephew  and  Jackson  never 
left  his  uncle  again  until  he  went  to  West  Point  Militaiy 
Academy  years  after. 

Warren’s  health  gradually  gave  away  from  the  effects  of  the 
disease  contracted  in  the  swampy  island  and  the  worst  phaze 
of  a malaria  seized  him,  namely  pneumonia,  and  finally  con- 
sumption. Jackson  went  to  see  his  brother  often,  but  when 
the  end  seemed  near  he  went  after  their  sister,  Laura,  who 
had  gone  to  live  with  another  relative  in  Wood  county  and 
they  went  to  see  Warren — a long  journey,  and  taken  on  horse- 
back. Warren  .did  not  live  a great  while  after  his  brother 
and  sister  came.  He  died  at  the  age  of  eighteen. 

His  sickness  had  softened  his  heart  and  he  was  no  longer  a 
wayward  boy,  but  beca.me  a devoted  Christian  and  died  in 
the  true  faith  of  his  fathers.  By  the  death  of  Warren  only 
the  two  children  were  left,  Jackson  then  about  fifteen  and 
Laura  about  thirteen  years  of  age.  They  returned  to  their 


So  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

separate  homes,  and  after  this  they  saw  little  of  each  other. 
This  separation  from  his  sister  was  the  source  of  Jackson’s 
greatest  sorrow.  He  loved  his  sister  and  the  first  money  he 
ever  earned,  amounting  to  anything,  he  saved  and  purchased 
her  a silk  gown  with  it. 

The  ill  effects  of  his  experience  on  the  island  soon  passed 
away  and  Jackson  entered  a private  school  taught  near  his 
uncle’s  mill,  by  a Mr.  Ray,  a school  from  which  went  some 
of  the  most  prominent  men  who  have  figured  in  Virginia 
history.  Here  Jackson  showed  great  application,  but  experi- 
enced the  same  difficulty  in  preparing  his  lessons  that  he  felt 
at  the  former  school.  He  gained  the  reputation  of  being  a 
boy  full  of  the  right  kind  of  spirit ; was  quick  to  resent  an 
insult,  and  would  fight  any  boy  that  undertook  to  insult  him 
or  offer  him  any  indignity. 

Nothing  of  a quarrelsome  or  fussy  nature,  he  would  never- 
theless handle  summarily  any  one  who  offended  his  pride  ^r 
attempted  to  impose,  upon  him  oftener  than  the  first  experi- 
ence. It  is  related  of  him  that  during  his  entire  school  days, 
when  the  habit  among  boys  was  to  “fight  for  the  fun  of  it,” 
he  never  was  known  to  pick  a quarrel  or  begin  a conflict,  but 
once  in  it,  he  never  was  known  to  be  conquered.  He  had  a 
high  regard  for  the  rights  of  others,  but  promptly  brooked  in- 
terference with  his  affairs  and  rights.  In  a fight  a boy  might 
pound  him,  scratch  or  bite  to  his  content,  but  yackson  never 
surrendered.  He  kept  on  with  his  fight  until  the  adversary 
gave  in.  The  fight  over,  he  was  ready  to  shake  hands  and 
’oegin  a new  relationship  or  resume  the  old  friendship. 

He  loved  to  run  foot-races,  play  ball,  and  other  games  of 
sport.  The  ball  game  in  that  day  was  called  “town  ball;” 
there  was  another  game  called  “bull  pen.”  The  latter  was 
decidedly  more  severe  than  any  ball  game  of  this  day,  football 
not  excepted.  He  was  a swift  runner  and  a good  wrestler. 
His  schoolmates  say  that  he  was  invariably  selected  as  captain 
in  the  ball  games,  and  whether  from  their  admiration  of  their 
illustrious  schoolmate  or  not,  they  tell  us  that  Jackson’s  side 
never  was  defeated.  And  as  he  grew  older  he  became  an  ex- 
pert fox-hunter,  and  while  never  what  would  be  called  a 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  Si 

graceful  horseman,  was  one  of  the  kind  that  no  horse  could 
dislodge.  He  had  his  own  hounds  for  fox  and  deer  hunting. 

As  a gallant,  he  was  notoriously  courteous,  but  did  not  de- 
vote much  time  in  the  company  of  the  gentler  sex.  He  was 
fond  of  dancing  and  attended  the  country  dances  frequently 
and  had  the  reputation  of  being  an  average  dancer  in  matter 
of  skill.  He  was  ever  deferential  to  all  members  of  the 
female  sex,  without  exception.  Once  when  a mere  boy, 
while  on  the  way  to  school  with  other  boys  and  girls  traveling 
the  same  road,  a boy  offended  one  of  the  little  girls.  Jackson 
demanded  without  a moment’s  delay  that  the  boy  apologize  ; 
the  boy  hesitated  and  Jackson  then  ordered  him  to  apologize 
and  when  the  boy  refused  Jackson  flew  at  him  “like  an  infu- 
riated tiger,”  and  before  he  knew  what  had  happened  Jack- 
son  had  him  completely  whipped  and  he  was  glad  enough  to 
have  Jackson,  though  much  smaller  than  his  adversary,  to 
“let  him  up,”  when  he  promptly  apologized  to  the  Virginia 
miss.  He  was  a born  cavalier  and  his  sense  of  resentment, 
loyalty  and  friendship  was  to  him  paramount  to  every  selfish 
consideration  or  thought.  His  sympathy  was  ever  with  the 
weaker — the  “underdog”  was  the  one  he  selected  as  his. 

A visit  to  the  old  home  neighborhood  of  Jackson  is  refresh- 
ing in  the  soothing  melodies  of  a sweet  memory.  Every  one 
around  his  old  “stamping  grounds”  vies  to  do  honor  to  “Tom 
Jackson.”  We  could  fill  a small  book  with  various  relations, 
stories,  of  his  experiences  as  a child  and  youth  in  that  beauti- 
ful mountain  region  where  he  spent  his  early  days,  among 
those  who  love  to  tell  of  him  and  everything  connected  with 
him.  There  stands  the  house  where  he  lived  with  his  bene- 
factor, his  kind  uncle  and  aunts,  the  mill  at  which  he  worked 
many  months  for  his  uncle,  the  fields  where  he  played  in  child- 
hood’s innocent  pastime,  a thousand  objects  sacred  to  the 
memory  of  the  glorious  son,  of  his  devoted  people! 


CHAPTER  V. 


DEPUTY-SHERIFF  AT  AGE  OF  EIGHTEEN.  HIS  OLD  BLACK- 
SMITH FRIEND.  WEST  POINT  LOOMS  UP. 

The  days  of  childhood’s  charm  begun  to  wane.  Jackson 
felt  that  he  must  do  something  for  himself  and  not  tax  his 
uncle,  who,  though  the  soul  of  generous  hospitality  and  for 
whom  Jackson  delighted  to  labor, like  Jackson, had  a great  deal 
of  spirit,  and  he  was  glad  when  his  nephew  told  him  he  was 
going  to  “strike  out’’  for  himself  and  try  and  get  the  position 
of  deputy-sheriff,  then  vacant.  Jackson  was  only  eighteen 
years  of  age  and  the  law  requires  an  officer  to  be  twenty- 
one  years  of  age,  but  his  uncle  had  influence  and  Jackson  was 
very  popular. 

He  had  the  courage  all  knew.  One  night  when  he  was  re- 
turning from  the  village  just  before  he  was  made  an  officer, 
the  following  took  place  : The  night  was  quite  dark  as  Jack- 
son  came  along.  An  object  sprang  into  the  road,  white,  frisky 
and  gruesome ; the  horse  shied.  Jackson  whipped  and 
spurred  his  horse  on  by  the  manufactured  ghost  and  for  a 
ghost  the  results  were  severe.  “The  joke  was  not  again  re- 
peated on  Tom.’’ 

The  position  of  deputy-sheriff  was  not  one  calculated  to  suit 
the  temperament  of  a youth  like  Jackson,  but  the  pay  would 
be  of  service  to  him  and  the  position  might  lead  to  something 
better.  He  was  appointed,  and  acted  as  constable  or  deputy- 
sheriff.  The  duties  required  an  iron  nerve,  for  the  country 
was  rather  frontier  in  its  tendencies,  and  there  was  more  or 
less  lawlessness  and  “tough  characters’’  to  deal  with.  Jack- 
son  knew  all  this  and  liked  the  excitement.  The  position  at 
that  time,  too,  was  one  of  more  importance  than  at  present 
and  a better  class  of  men,  as  a rule,  were  employed. 

There  were  some  duties  connected  with  it  that  are  always  of- 
fensive to  a person  of  refined  feelings,  that  of  debt  collecting 

by  force.  No  one  who  possesses  acute  sensibilities  can  with 
Si 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


83 


certainty  rely  upon  his  relishing  the  idea  of  inflicting  hard- 
ships upon  delinquent  debtors  by  enforcing  legal  fiats  ; and 
so  Jackson  soon  found  that  something  more  in  keeping  with 
his  nature  and  inclinations,  as  a man  above  the  common  place 
things  of  life,  would  better  suit  him,  and  he  resigned.  Before 
doing  so,  however,  and  before  he  had  been  initiated  in  the  de- 
vious ways  of  some  chronic  debtors,  he  pledged  to  a client  of 
one  of  the  magistrates,  for  whom  Jackson  had  to  serve  papers, 
a certain  debt. 

It  seems  that  Jackson  told  the  man — the  creditor — he  would 
have  his  money  for  him  on  a certain  day.  He  did  this  on  the 
promise  of  the  debtor.  The  day  came  and  Jackson  found  that 
promises  are  sometimes  rather  brittle  in  financial  matters.  He 
paid  the  creditor,  however,  promptly  on  the  appointed  day 
from  his  own  funds,  and  then  watched  his  chance  to  get  his 
money  from  the  debtor. 

The  man  who  had  broken  his  plight  with  Jackson  came 
riding  into  town  some  days  after  upon  a fine  horse  and  with 
the  air  of  a man  who  never  owed  a farthing  in  all  his  life ; but 
Jackson  knew  one  person  he  owed,  and  he  walked  up  to  him 
and  accosted  him  without  any  preliminary ; the  man  under- 
took to  scare  Jackson.  Just  here  he  counted  on  too  much 
from  his  candid  presumptuousness,  for  Jackson  took  hold  of 
the  bridle-reins  and  deliberately  took  the  man  and  horse  into  a 
stable  near-by,  or  would  have  done  so,  had  not  the  door  been 
too  low. 

Jackson,  fully  angered  by  this  time,  both  at  the  man’s  trying 
to  deceive  him  and  then  attempting  to  scare  him,  would  not 
release  the  hold  upon  the  man’s  horse  until  the  money  was 
paid. 

He  did  not  long  hold  the  position  and  as  the  duties  were 
irksome  in  many  respects  and  by  no  means  congenial.  Jack- 
son  was  glad  to  leave  it.  While  he  occupied  it  he  made  an 
excellent  officer  and  was  faithful  in  every  part  of  the  duties 
of  the  position. 

A few  may  imagine  that  such  an  experience  is  calculated  to 
make  a man  severe  and  heartless.  This  is  a mistake.  True  the 
sheriffs  see  the  seamy  side  of  life,  but  they  have  it  is  their 


84  Story  ok  Stonewalt  Jackson. 

power  to  do  much  good  and  many  of  them  take  advantage  of 
this.  A president  of  the  United  States  was  once*  a sheriff, 
and  no  doubt  some  things  he  learned  while  in  that  position 
taught  him  to  sympathize,  aid  and  lean  to  the  unfortunate  in 
life,  who  are  abused,  and  rough  ridden  by  those  unworthy  to 
live  in  the  same  world.  The  experience  as  deputy-sheriff  in 
those  wild  mountains  often  made  Jackson  rely  upon  himself 
in  moments  of  danger,  and  exercise  consideration  for  un- 
fortunate persons. 

In  the  year  1842  there  lived  in  the  quiet  little  village,  Wes- 
ton, Virginia  (now  West  Virginia),  a German  who  plied  the 
trade  of  blacksmithing.  This  industrious  man  always  found 
time  to  talk  to  his  customers,  and  in  those  days  when  there 
was  but  little  to  interest  the  public — there  being  but  few  news- 
papers, and  the  country  thinly  settled — it  is  natural  that  black- 
smiths, where  all  kinds  of  travelers  often  stopped  to  have 
smithing  work  done,  water  their  stock,  exchange  greetings, 
etc.,  should  be  gatherers  and  dispensers  of  neighborhood  and 
general  occurrences  and  news. 

There  being  no  railroads  in  that  section,  in  1842,  travel  by 
stage-coach  and  private  conveyance  was  the  sole  means  of 
transportation.  Long  routes  extended  from  old  or  eastern 
Virginia  over  the  mountains  through  Weston  to  Lewis 
county,  then  a large  territory,  larger  than  the  State  of  Con- 
necticut, of  which  Clarksburg  was  the  county-seat ; conse- 
quently considerable  numbers  passed  this  good  old  German’s 
shop.  Nearly  everyone  during  a voyage  by  Horse  delights 
to  hold  conversation  with  these  country  blacksmiths  and  repair- 
men even  to  this  day.  The  pleasure  of  listening  to  the  stories 
of  the  masters  of  these  establishments  and  the  telling  of  same 
seems  mutual.  They  are  fond  of  telling  all  they  know,  en- 
larging upon  what  they  do  not  know,  and  entertain  their  call- 
ers with  a piquant  and  picturesque  charm,  their  gossip 
being  peculiar  to  these  quaint  oases  in  horse-travel. 

Thus  it  happened  one  bright  afternoon,  while  young  Jack- 
son’s uncle,  Mr.  Cummins  Jackson,  was  returning  from  the 
village  Weston,  seventeen  miles  from  Mr.  Jackson’s  home,  he 
stopped  to  chat  with  this  friendly  man  of  the  anvil  and  bel- 


Jackson’s  Sixteen-mile  Walk  Alone,  Through  the  Mountains, 
at  Eight  Years  of  Age. 


Cummins  Jackson  House. 
(Where  Jackson  spent  his  boyhood.) 


Old  Mill  where  he  Worked  when  a Oad.  In  the  Mountains  of  West  Virginia 


Entering  “West  Point,’'  U.  S.  Military  Academy. 


(6) 


Scenes  at  U.  S.  Militar}-  Academy,  West  Point. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  89 

lows,  who  was  doing  some  work  on  a broken  piece  of  mill  ma- 
chinery belonging  to  Mr.  Jackson. 

The  blacksmith  told  Mr.  Jackson  of  the  current  talk  concern- 
ing  a young  man  who  had  been  appointed  from  that  section  to 
the  United  States  Military  Academy  at  West  Point  and  had 
relinquished  his  appointment  and  returned  to  his  home. 
After  commenting  upon  the  indiscretion  of  the  young  man  for 
not  holding  his  West  Point  appointment,  he  proceeded  to  sug- 
gest to  Mr.  Jackson  to  speak  to  “Tom”  and  urge  him  to 
“strike  out”  for  the  vacancy.  Like  everyone  else  he  was  fond 
of  “Tom  Jackson”  and  desired  to  advance  his  fortunes  in  life. 

It  was  late  in  the  evening  when  Mr.  Cummins  Jackson  re- 
turned to  his  home.  At  a convenient  moment  he  called  his 
nephew  and  related  to  him  the  conversation  he  had  with 
the  blacksmith  and  commended  the  suggestion  of  their  old 
German  friend  to  Jackson’s  favorable  consideration.  Jackson 
was  not  long  in  deciding ; in  fact,  imrhediately  concluded  to 
act  upon  the  opportunity  and  discussed  the  important  sugges- 
tion for  several  hours  with  his  uncle.  To  this  simple-minded 
mountaineer,  Jackson’s  blacksmith  friend,  is  due,  in  a measure, 
the  chance  that  brought  him  before  the  world  and  finally  the 
very  zenith  of  fame. 

Popularity  of  the  right  kind  is  one  of  the  most  valuable 
possessions  one  can  claim,  and  it  will  be  noticed  that  through 
tlie  career  of  Jackson  as  a child,  youth,  soldier,  professor,  and 
commander  of  a great  army,  he  was  universally  popular. 
His  popularity  was  not  of  the  kind  that  rests  upon  any  uncer- 
tainty in  the  estimate  men  place  upon  their  fellow  man.  His 
was  a popularity  that  fastens  itself  upon  the  mind  and  heart 
of  all  who  appreciate  noble  and  lasting  traits  of  character. 

The  reputation  that  Jackson  bore  at  that  time  when  a con- 
stable under  a mountain  sheriff,  in  a country  rugged  in  its 
every  aspect,  the  topography,  climate,  hardships,  and  general 
lack  of  the  refinements  that  are  possessed  by  its  present  in- 
habitants, required  that  the  men  be  themselves  like  their  natu- 
ral surroundings — rugged — imparted  to  Jackson  elements  of 
strength  and  force,  that  made  him  conspicuous  as  a type  worth* 


90 


Story  of  Stoxewarl  Jackson. 


to  represent  the  stalwart  citizens,  living  on  the  western  slope 
of  the  Old  Dominion  State. 

He  bore  a reputation  for  truth,  courage  and  honesty,  saga- 
city, alertness,  application,  vigilance,  and  perseverance,  that 
won  for  him  the  esteem  of  the  high  and  lowly.  This  old 
blacksmith  admired  Jackson.  He  saw  in  him  the  essentials  of 
greatness.  The  secretary  of  war,  before  whom  he  appeared 
an  almost  unlettered, and  untutored  applicant  for  appointment 
to  the  government’s  military  training-school,  saw  in  Jackson 
indications  of  material  that  would  make  for  the  country,  an 
able  and  brave  soldier  and  commended  him  without  hesitation. 

There  were  many  young  men  in  the  community  who  had  en- 
joyed many  advantages  in  the  way  of  preparation  for  the  ap- 
pointment to  West  Point  that  Jackson  had  been  unable  to  I'e- 
ceive  because  of  his  comparative  poverty,  but  this  blacksmith 
knew  Jackson  and  loved  him,  and,  as  we  have  said,  met  in  him 
the  man  for  the  call.  Likely  no  one  else  would  have  spoken 
of  the  vacancy,  not,  however,  because  of  any  lack  of  interest 
in  Jackson  or  admiration  for  him,  and  the  chance  would  have 
passed  Jackson,  to  the  injury  of  example,  his  great  career 
has  afforded. 

Goldsmith,  whose  estimate  of  friendship  has  so  frequently 
been  quoted  by  those  who  feel  that  friendship  is  but  a myth,  did 
not  add  to  the  charm  of  life  by  his  morose  condemnation  of  the 
highest  and  purest  emotion  of  which  the  human  heart  is  capa- 
ble— friendship.  We  should  make  friends,  and  in  mak- 
ing friends,  it  is  not  necessary  that  we  take  them  into  all  the 
secret  confidences  of  the  heart;  but  by  word  or  deed,  some  act 
of  kindness — the  one  touch  of  nature  that  makes  the  world 
akin — is  too  frequently  shunned,  slighted  or  ignored,  when  by 
allowing  its  tranquil  and  solacing  influence  to  mould  our 
thoughts  into  pleasant  words  and  the  motion  of  our  hands  into 
friendly  beckoning,  instead  of  repulsing,  outturned  palm, 
would  win  to  our  life  friends  from  all  climes,  conditions,  and 
aspirations. 

Frequently  an  humble  person,  for  whom  we  have  done  some 
kind  or  friendly  act,  or  to  whom  we  have  uttered  a pleasant 
word,  may  be  the  means  of  placing  us  in  the  way  of  many 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  91 

good  things,  repaying  us  tenfold.  But  never  make  friends 
merely  to  use  them  in  some  way  ; to  do  so,  is  abuse  of  the  sacred 
privilege  ingenuous  nature  has  appointed  to  us — a gift  of  price- 
less worth — friendship. 

The  next  morning  after  the  talk  with  his  uncle  concerning 
the  application  for  West  Point,  Jackson  “struck  out”  for 
Weston,  there  to  see  a gentleman  he  hoped  would  aid  him 
with  his  books  in  preparing  for  the  examination  necessary  for 
entrance  at  the  United  States  Military  Academy.  This  gen- 
tleman, Mr.  Edmiston,  was  a lawyer,  afterwards  judge.  Then 
begun  the  task  of  procuring  influence  with  and  through  which 
to  obtain  the  coveted  appointment.  He  was  aware  of  his  great 
lack  of  preparation  in  the  matter  of  education,  and  knew  con- 
siderable influence  would  therefore  be  required. 

He  went  to  the  court  officials  of  the  county  in  which  he 
resided  and  each  official  cheerfully  added  his  endorsement  to  a 
strong  letter  commending  him  as  a brave,  truthful  and  indus- 
trious lad — three  essentials  to  the  making  of  a great  soldier, 
and  appreciated  by  the  government  in  men  who  are  to  repre- 
sent the  people  in  the  hour  of  crises,  when  war  is  upon  them. 

Jackson  went  next  to  a prominent  lawyer,  who  was  dis- 
tantly related  to  him,  and  possessed  influence  throughout  the 
State.  This  lawyer,  in  order  to  impress  upon  Jackson  the 
gravity  of  his  ambition  and  the  importance  of  the  position  to 
which  he  aspired,  candidly  told  him  that  his  imperfect  educa- 
tion was  an  almost  insurmountable  barrier.  He  was,  it  is  re- 
lated, rather  critical  in  his  remarks  concerning  the  lad’s  desire. 

Jackson’s  countenance  evinced  his  mortification  for  a 
moment,  but  he  lifted  that  brave  brow  and,  looking  the 
lawyer  in  the  face,  said  : “I  know  that  I shall  have  the  appli- 
cation necessary  to  succeed,  I hope  that  I have  the  capacity ; 
at  least  I am  determined  to  try,  and  I wish  you  to  help  me  to 
do  this.”  Without  a moment’s  hesitation  the  letter  was  writ- 
ten, a strong  one  at  that,  full  of  the  praises  he  deserved  for 
genuine  merit.  These  letters  were  all  sent  to  Washington  to 
Mr.  Hays,  the  congressman  of  the  district  in  which  Jackson 
lived. 

Mr.  Hays  replied  promptly,  which  is  not  the  usual  custom 


92 


Story  or  Stonewatt  Jackson. 


with  present  day  congressmen,  assuring  his  young  friend  of 
his  aid  in  furthering  his  ambition.  This  was  highly  compli- 
mentary of  the  orphan  boy,  for  the  position  was  one  greatly 
sought  by  the  best  young  men  of  the  country,  and  being  a 
political  appointment,  more  or  less,  the  action  of  Mr.  Hays  in 
favor  of  young  Jackson  is  worthy  of  note. 

The  young  man  who  had  been  appointed,  and  who  had 
turned  his  back  on  West  Point  by  his  act,  made  Jackson’s  ap- 
plication more  noteworthy,  as  he,  Jackson,  had  to  overcome 
what  prejudices  that  might  have  gathered  about  any  appoint- 
ment from  Mr.  Hays’s  district. 

A bad  example  is  not  favorable  to  those  who  have  to  follow 
as  successor,  and  we  should  never  do  or  say  anything  by  whicli 
we  may  cause  others  to  suffer  Jackson’s  predecessor  gave 
up  to  his  self-ease  and  was  not  willing  to  abide  by  the  dis- 
cipline of  the  military  school.  Jackson  eagerly  sought  a 
chance  to  endure  all  for  the  sake  of  an  education.  That  he  pos- 
sessed martial  spirit  or  military  ambitioii  ^ the  time  is  not 
unlikely. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


LEAVES  FOR  UNITED  STATES  MILITARY  ACADEMY.  HIS 
FIRST  YEAR  AT  WEST  POINT. 

Acting  upon  the  principle  that  if  one  wants  a thing  well 
done  it  is  wise  to  perform  such  thing  in  person  and  not  trust 
to  others,  Jackson  left  his  uncle’s  as  soon  as  he  heard  from 
Mr.  Hays  and  went  to  Washington  to  help  his  cause  all  he 
could  in  person.  He  made  a hasty  preparation,  borrowing  a 
pair  of  saddle-horses  from  a friend  and  a negro'  to  bring  them 
back  ; he  hastened  to  overtake  the  stage-coach  that  ran  between 
Parkersburg  via  Clarksburg  to  Winchester,  Virginia,  and 
thence  to  Washington.  His  garments  were  of  common  country 
homespun  woolen,  his  hat  the  kind  worn  by  the  average 
mountaineer  of  the  present  day,  low  crowned  and  broad 
brimmed,  the  rest  of  his  clothing  was  put  in  a pair  of  old 
weather-beaten  saddlebags . ^ 

Fancy  a young  man  of  this  day  and  generation  having  the 
courage  to  start  to  the  capitol  at  Washington,  to  seek  an  ap- 
pointment to  West  Point  Academy,  prepared  in  so  crude  a 
manner  as  was  this  lad.  And  yet  there  are  boys  in  America 
who  have  the  personal  independence  to  do  so.  Certain  it  is 
Jackson  had. 

When  he  reached  Clarskburg,  about  eighteen  miles  from  his 
uncle’s,  the  stage-coach  had  gone,  but  he  hastened  to  follow 
and  caught  it  at  the  next  stopping-place.  He  took  passage 
and  reached  Washington  in  due  time.  Upon  arrival  at  Wash- 
ington he  lost  no  time  in  going  direct  to  Mr.  Hays,  and  was 
kindly  received.  Jackson  had  not  even  taken  time  to  remove 
the  stains  of  travel,  but  asked  to  be  taken  at  once  to  the  Sec- 
retary of  War  and  procure  his  appointment. 

The  Secretary  of  War  is  a member  of  the  President’s  cabinet 
and  has  considerable  authority,  and  his  position  gives  him  high 
rank  among  the  leading  men  in  the  administration  of  the  busi- 
ness of  the  government ; therefore,  this  young  farmer  lad  was 

93 


94 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


to  stand  in  the  presence  of  a man  who  had  it  in  his  power  to 
decide  his  fate  and  either  send  him  to  West  Point  or  back  to 
his  home  in  the  hills  of  Western  Virginia.  The  moment  came, 
and  entering  the  presence  of  the  Secretary  of  War  of  the 
United  States,  this  lad  at  one  glance,  won  the  admiration  of 
the  official. 

Mr.  Hays  explained  to  the  Secretary  young  Jackson’s  hard- 
ships in  life  and  his  failure  to  obtain  educational  advantages 
for  want  of  means,  but  vouched  for  Jackson’s  will  and  good 
character  and  told  the  Secretary  all  about  Iris  family  and  the 
lad  himself,  personally. 

The  Secretary,  however,  wished  to  try  something  of  the 
young  applicant’s  metal,  and  plied  him  with  several  rather 
severe  questions.  A gentleman  present  at  the  interview  de- 
scribed it  as  “gruff  and  heroic,  but  with  the  grit  of  ‘Old 
Hickory,’  this  young  Jackson  was  neither  to  be  bluffed  or 
driven  from  his  purpose.”  In  giving  him  his  appointment 
the  Secretary  said,  “Sir,  you  have  a good  name.  Go  to  West 
Point  and  the  first  man  who  insults  you  knock  him  down  and 
charge  it  to  my  account.” 

His  friend,  Mr.  Hays,  invited  him  to  stay  a while  in  the  city, 
as  his  guest  and  see  something  of  Washington,  but  the  eager- 
ness of  the  appointee  to  reach  the  school  caused  him  to  de- 
cline ; remarking  that  as  the  classes  at  the  Academy  were  go- 
ing on  with  their  studies,  he  wanted  to  get  to  West  Point  at 
once. 

Mr.  Hays  encouraged  this  spirit  of  energy  and  at  the  request 
of  Jackson,  he  took  him  to  the  top  of  the  Capitol  and  from  the 
unfinished  dome,  Jackson  had  a view  of  the  beautiful  pan- 
orama stretched  out  before  him.  He  told  Mr.  Hays  he  was 
ready  now  to  continue  his  journey  to  school,  and  they  de- 
scended. 

Mr.  Hays  was  so  impressed  with  his  young  appointee’s  calm 
determination  to  lose  no  time,  and  feeling  that  he  would  need 
some  aid  at  the  Academy  in  the  examination  for  entrance,  that 
he  wrote  the  authorities  at  West  Point  a letter  in  which  he 
told  them  of  Jackson’s  excellent  character  and  courageous 
spirit,  and  asked  that  due  allowance  be  made  for  the  limited 


Storv  of  Stojs'ewall  Jackson. 


95 


education  and  preparation  of  the  candidate.  The  letter  ac- 
complished the  desired  effect,  and  Jackson  was  admitted. 
There  is  likely  not  a parallel  instance  in  the  history  of  the 
Academy. 

Only  a very  short  time  had  passed  since  the  evening  his 
uncle  told  him  of  his  chance  to  go  to  W est  Point,  where  he 
had  longed  to  be.  He  had  overcome  defective  preparation,  the 
embarrassment  of  a meagre  supply  of  clothing,  etc.,  and  ob- 
tained the  prize.  This  was  in  the  month  of  June,  1842.  Now 
we  leave  him  to  work  out  his  experiment  at  the  strict  military 
school ; his  friends  had  assisted  him,  hereafter  he  must  rely 
upon  himself.  He  did  all  of  this,  and  thoroughly. 

A distinguished  soldier  who  was  at  the  Academy  when 
Jackson  arrived  has  written  some  of  his  impressions  when  he 
first  saw  this  new  appointee.  Among  other  things  he  says  : “He 
was  apparently  about  twenty  years  of  age  (Jackson  was  eigh- 
teen years  old  at  the  time)  and  was  full  grown ; his  figure  was 
angular  and  clumsy  ; his  gait  was  awkward;  he  tramped  along 
beside  the  sergeant  with  an  air  of  resolution,  and  his  stolid  look 
added  to  the  inflexible  determination  of  his  whole  aspect,  so 
that  one  of  us  remarked  ‘that  fellow  has  come  here  to  stay.’  ” 

Elsewhere  in  this  book  the  general  health  of  our  hero  has 
been  referred  to.  At  the  time  he  entered  the  Academy 
he  was  fresh  from  the  mountain  regions,  and  with  his  natural- 
ly ruddy  and  clear  complexion,  few  would  have  taken  him  to 
be  other  than  a strong  and  vigorous  youth.  Such  was  not  the 
case,  however;  he  was  never  entirely  robust,  but  he  so  closely 
watched  his  health  and  habits,  that  he  built  steadily  such 
strength  as  his  constitution  would  take  on. 

The  West  Point  Military  Academy  is  an  institution  belong- 
ing to  the  government  of  the  United  States.  At  this  grand 
old  school  are  educated  the  officers  for  the  United  States  arm}'. 
There  are  few  locations  more  beautiful  in  point  of  scenery,  and 
the  wealthy  government,  with  its  great  care  for  all  that  be- 
longs to  its  physical  properties,  keeps  this  school  property  and 
the  entire  surroundings  in  perfect  condition. 

The  son  of  any  citizen  of  the  United  States  may  enter 
West  Point  if  he  wins  the  appointment  at  the  competitive 


96  Story  ok  Stonp:\vall  Jackson. 

examination.  Each  congressman  has  a certain  number  of  ap- 
pointments to  West  Point  at  certain  periods  and  as  vacancies 
occur,  which  are  seldom,  except  at  times  when  a cadet  has 
finished  the  course  (four  years)  or  failed  in  his  class. 

Proud  of  his  success  in  being  admitted  to  the  Academy, 
Jackson  at  once  realized  his  lack  of  preparation  in  the  matter 
of  education.  Let  us  say,  that  this  cadet  did  not  allow 
his  defective  education  to  prevent  his  determination  to  over- 
come the  problems  and  his  texts,  and  make  a name  at  school. 
His  life  had  been  such  as  to  cause  him  to  think  for  and  rely  on 
himself.  He  possessed  a.  slow  but  strong  mind  ; he  could  not 
be  called  a brilliant  student.  He  says  himself  that  he  “studied 
very  hard  for  what  he  got  at  West  Point.” 

Some  minds  seem  to  take  in  lessons  at  a glance.  Not  so  with 
Jackson.  At  West  Point,  as  he  had  been  in  the  country 
school,  he  was  often  a day  behind  his  classes,  and  with  his 
frank  truthfulness  would  say  so  when  called  to  recite.  But 
when  he  did  learn  a lesson,  it  was  stored  in  his  mind  for  all 
time.  He  was  an  honest  student.  He  would  not  shirk  a hard 
lesson,  but  master  it  even  if  it  took  him  a day  or  so  longer 
than  his  class  to  do  so. 

When  the  lights  were  put  out  at  night,  at  the  hour  they  call 
in  military  schools  “taps,”  he  would  pile  coal  on  his  grate; 
they  used  hard  coal  and  this  kind  of  coal  does  not  give  much 
light,  but  Jackson  would  spread  himself  prone  on  the  floor 
before  his  grate  and  study  until  late  in  the  night  by  the  un- 
certain blaze  of  the  coal  fire.  This  was  hot  work  and  must 
have  been  painful,  but  this  lad  wanted  an  education  and 
wanted  to  be  a great  soldier  when  time  came  for  battles,  not 
an  ordinary,  obscure  officer. 

He  was  so  afraid  he  would  fail  to  pass  the  first  year  and 
would  be  sent  home,  that  he  prepared  the  words  he  would  tell 
his  old  boy  friends  at  home.  Pie  said  he  would  tell  them  : 
“If  they  had  been  there  and  found  it  as  hard  as  he  had,  they 
would  fail  too,”  and  doubtless  they  would. 

But  he  did  not  fail,  much  to  his  delight  and  secret  surprise, 
no  doubt.  But  his  getting  through  the  first  year  made  him 


0 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  97 

more  ambitious  than  ever,  and  the  second  year  he  made  a de- 
cided improvement. 

He  is  said  to  have  always  taken  much  delight  in  telling  how 
he  was  elated  at  the  idea  of  his  progress,  and  was  amused 
when  he  spoke  of  the  importance  he  attached  to  the  opinions 
of  his  young  friends  at  West  Point.  He  was  ever  a sincere 
person,  and  while  he  made  few  friends,  he  was  a friend  indeed 
and  admired  no  one  for  their  social  or  monied  or  political  con- 
nections ; his  friendship  was  the  kind  that  luck  has  nothing 
to  do  with. 

It  is  always  interesting  to  follow  truly  great  persons  in  all 
their  ways,  especially  during  their  school-days,  when  they  are 
forming  character  and  shaping  their  forces  for  the  future.  Let 
us  now  follow  the  cadet  at  West  Point.  See  how  he  grew  in 
stature,  mind  and  spirit. 

It  is  said  of  him  his  manner  was  somewhat  constrained,  but 
he  was  a dignified  boy  at  all  times,  and  though  rather  reserved, 
or  quiet,  his  ways  were  pleasing — one  of  those  boys  that 
draw  you  to  them  for  their  plain  goodness.  But  even  Jack- 
son’s kindly  manners  and  dignity  did  not  shield  him  from  the 
practice  among  the  students,  to  make  sport  of  all  new-comers 
at  the  Academy. 

They  made  Jackson  sweep  the  grounds,  under  the  inspec- 
tion of  their  more  advanced  fellow  students,  and  made  him 
drill  very  severely  in  military  exercises.  The  authorities 
while  not  openly  supporting  these  little  pastimes  of  the  stu- 
dents did  not  interfere.  They  considered  the  treatment 
good  for  the  new  boys  ; made  them  feel  subordination  ; gave 
to  them  hardihood  and  soldierly  discipline.* 

These  students  saw  Jackson  was  a country  boy  out  and  out, 
and  looked  upon  him  as  a subject  of  first-class  material  to 
practice  upon.'  It  has  always  been  until  recently  a great 
sport  at  West  Point  to  do  this  teasing,  or  hazing,  as  it  is  call- 
ed. A boy  who  gave  way  to  temper  or  resisted  got  additional 

*Hazing  in  1901  was  pronounced  by  the  authorities  at  the  Academy 
as  an  offense  equal  to  prompt  expulsion.  This  decison  is  the  result  of 
fatal  termination  in  instances  of  hazing. 


98  Story  of  Stonewalr  Jackson. 

torture.  Here  is  shown  the  strength  of  Jackson’s  natural  tem- 
per and  heart ; he  was  brave  and  unflinching. 

In  a very  few  days  the  fourth  class  men  took  Jackson  in 
hand,  and  after  putting  him  through  all  manner  of  absurd  and 
often  very  rough  exercises,  and  playing  various  tough  tricks 
on  him,  they  found  he  was  their  match,  and  let  him  go  as  a 
poor  subject  to  make  either  mad  or  cringe.  Jackson  in  his  sim- 
ple-hearted way,  suffered  the  initiation  courageously  and  won 
the  hand  of  all  the  cadets. 

Jackson  studied,  as  before  related,  by  the  light  of  his  hard- 
coal  fire  after  “taps”  at  night.  He  sometimes  was  so  slow  in 
preparing  his  lessons  that  he  would  be  unable  to  recite,  and 
had  to  tell  the  professors  that  he  was  not  ready,  frankly  say- 
ing, “I  have  not  gotten  to  this  lesson  yet”  and  the  next  day 
he  would  recite  the  lesson  of  the  day  before. 

It  is  not  wonderful  that  so  slow  a mind  as  Jackson’s,  should 
in  time,  be  so  developed  that  he  carne  on  toward  the  top  of  the 
list,  and  had  he  been  at  West  Point  another  year,  would  have 
graduated  at  the  head  of  his  class. 

Jackson’s  splendid  example  at  West  Point  shows  what  can 
be  accomplished  by  the  slowest  boys  and  girls  when  they  per- 
severe. Will-power  is  the  student’s  gauge. 

Among  his  classmates  were  the  following,  who  became 
generals  in  the  respective  armies  in  the  war  for  Southern  inde- 
pendence, some  serving  in  the  army  of  the  invaders,  the  others 
in  the  army  of  the  defenders.  In  the  former,  spoken  of  as  the 
Federal  army  by  writers,  were.  Generals  McClelland,  Foster, 
Reno,  Stoneman,  Couch  and  Gibbon  ; and  Generals  A.  P.  Hill, 
Pickett,  Maury,  D.  R.  Jones,  W.  D.  Smith  and  Wilcox  of 
the  latter,  generally  spoken  of  as  the  Confederate  army. 
So  his  fellow  students  were  men  of  ability. 

At  this  time,  Jackson’s  first  year  at  the  Academy,  he  is  de- 
scribed as  being  a lad  who  walked  rapidly,  bending  slightly 
forward  as  he  walked.  He  had  a grave,  thoughtful  face — 
some  considered  his  countenance  dull — but  when  anything  ex- 
cited or  interested  him  his  form  became  erect,  his  eyes  bright- 
ened, and  he  would  smile  pleasantly,  we  are  told  “as  sweetly 

? 5 


as  a woman. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


99 


A classmate  says  of  him  ; “In  the  riding-hall  I think  his 
sufferings  must  have  been  very  great.  He  had  a rough  horse 
and,  though  accustomed  to  horseback-riding,  was  awkward, 
and  when  the  order  came  to  cross  stirrups  and  trot,  ‘old  Jack’ 
struggled  hard  to  keep  his  horse.  When  he  had  advanced  to 
riding  at  the  heads,  leaping  the  bars,  etc.,  his  balance  was 
truly  fearful,  but  he  persevered  through  the  most  perilous  trials, 
and  no  man  in  the  riding-house  would  take  more  risks  than  he, 
and  certainly  no  one  had  our  good  wishes  more  than  he.” 

His  favorite  recreation  was  walking,  and  almost  every  after- 
noon he  might  be  seen  alone,  or  with  a single  companion, 
walking  with  energy  and  evident  enjoyment  over  the  hills  sur- 
rounding West  Point.  He  was  also  fond  of  sitting  on  the 
headlands  that  overhang  the  waters  of  the  Hudson  River,  upon 
the  banks  of  which  the  Academy  is  situated. 

In  these  walks  his  topics  were  elevated  in  their  subject-mat- 
ter, and  it  will  be  observed  by  reading  from  Jackson’s  jour- 
nal, extracts  of  which  are  made  herein,  that  his  mental  devel- 
opment broadened  and  sought  fields  of  the  higher  science  of 
life.  Moral,  mental  and  political  science  he  discussed  with  a 
reach  of  appreciation  and  understanding,  that  won  for  him  that 
admiration  which  at  all  times  attracts  one  to  a profound 
student. 

The  life  he  led  at  West  Point  and  the  daily  exercise  of  drill- 
ing and  horseback-riding  developed  his  frame.  He  grew  rap- 
idly into  physical  proportions  and  his  appearance  became  that 
of  an  erect  soldier,  but  we  are  told  by  his  fellow  students  he 
was  never  graceful. 

It  seems  that  Jackson’s  lack  of  gracefulness  was  enlarged 
upon  by  some  of  the  West-Pointers  who  have  written  of  his  de- 
ficiency in  this  respect.  We  are  rather  inclined  to  the  belief 
that  Jackson’s  indifference  to  some  of  the  graces,  that  some  col- 
lege boys  cultivate,  was  caused  by  a disposition  to  make  light 
of  a student  who  does  not  coincide  with  their  views  of 
outward  accomplishments. 

The  many  advantages  imparted  by  a military  training  has 
induced  numbers  of  schools  of  the  present  day  to  add  military 
features  to  their  work.  At  West  Point  punctuality,  neatness. 


lOO 


Story  or  Stonkwall  Jackson. 


and  system,  thorough  drilling  and  exercise,  is  uncpmpromis- 
ingly  required.  Jackson  acquired  these  essentials  to  a success- 
ful military  life,  or,  for  that  matter,  to  civilian  life.  The 
record  of  his  career  in  the  army  demonstrates  the  results  of 
these  influences  upon  him.  He  -was  an  orderly,  neat,  and  exact 
man  in  every  particular. 

At  all  institutions  of  learning  the  custom  prevails  to  select 
friends,  as  a rule,  from  among  members  of  the  class  one  is  en- 
rolled in.  Jackson  disregarded  this  custom  or  habit  in  form- 
ing his  associates  or  friends  among  the  cadets.  He  chose, 
leather,  his  associates  from  those  he  found  worthy  and  earnest, 
without  regard  of  class.  In  all  matters  Jackson  was  independ- 
ent and  rose  above  trifles.  He  was  kind  and  courteous  to  all 
cadets,  and  at  all  times  and  under  all  circumstances,  was  a 
gentleman.  He  despised  snobbery. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


SECOND  YEAR  AT  UNITED  STATES  MILITARY  ACADEMY.  “YOU 

MAY  BE  WHATEVER  YOU  RESOLVE  TO  BE.”  HIS  MAXIMS. 

During  his  second  year  he  received  some  demerits,  which 
he  did  not  deserve,  but  rather  than  expose  those  who  had 
caused  the  demerits  to  be  charged  against  him,  he  remained 
silent  and  shielded  them.  In  this  year  he  developed  to  the 
height  of  six  feet,  and  when  he  returned  home  on  his  furlough, 
his  friends  were  proud  of  his  general  improvement.  His  neat 
and  spotless  cadet  uniform  and  well-developed  form  gave  him 
a very  handsome  and  soldierly  appearance.  He  was  not  a 
stupid  young  man  in  conversation.  He  was  shy 'and  rather 
reserved,  but  was  fond  of  bright  conversation  and  took  part 
when  few  were  present.  In  a crowd  he  was  a respectful 
listener,  seldom  attempting  to  display  his  abilities. 

One  of  the  most  pleasing  traits  of  his  nature  was  his  tender- 
ness to  anyone  in  trouble.  A case  of  sickness  or  a sorrow 
among  the  cadets,  especially  the  younger  ones,  always  found 
in  him  a comforter.  Often  he  was  so  attentive  to  the  dis- 
tressed and  so  womanly  in  his  sympathies  that  some  of  the 
less  considerate  cadets  would  ridicule  him.  This  never  had 
any  effect  upon  him.  His  human  sympathy  was  great,  and  he 
had  been  a sufferer,  and  was  himself  not  strong.  He  practiced 
many  ways  to  prevent  any  chronic  or  fatal  disease  from  fasten- 
ing upon  him,  and  would  sit  up  straight  in  his  chair  when 
studying.  He  might  as  well  have  had  no  back  to  his  chair. 
His  mother  having  died  with  consumption,  he  feared  any 
strain  upon  his  chest,  therefore  would  not  lean  over  when 
studying. 

“YOU  MAY  BE  WHATEVER  yOU  RESOLVE  TO  BE.” 

While  at  West  Point  he  wrote  in  a book,  a kind  of  journal, 
which  he  kept  for  his  own  use,  a set  of  rules  and  maxims  re- 
lating to  morals,  manners,  dress,  choice  of  friends  and  the 

aims  in  life.  Among  them  were  these  words  ; “You  may  be 

101 


102 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


WHATEVER  YOU  RESOLVE  TO  BE.”  Others  show  that  he  had 
good  rules  by  which  to  guide  his  way  and  shape  his  character. 
We  give  them  in  full : 

“Through  life  let  your  principal  object  be  the  discharge  of 
duty.  Disregard  public  opinion  when  it  interferes  with  your 
duty.  Endeavor  to  be  at  peace  with  all  men.  Sacrifice  your  life 
rather  than  your  word.  Endeavor  to  do  well  everything  you 
undertake.  Never  speak  disrespectfully  of  any  one  without  a 
cause.  Spare  no  effort  to  suppress  selfishness  unless  that  effort 
would  entail  sorrow.  Let  your  conduct  toward  men  have 
some  uniformity. 

'■^Temperance:  Eat  not  to  dullness,  drink  not  to  elevation. 

'•‘■Silence:  Speak  but  what  may  benefit  others  or  yourself. 
Avoid  trifling  conversation.  Resolve  to  perform  what  you 
ought;  perform  without  fail  what  you  resolve. 

‘■'■Frugality  : Make  no  expense  but  to  do  good  to  others  or 
or  yourself  ; waste  nothing. 

'■'■Industry:  Lose  no  time  ; be  always  employed  in  something 
useful ; cut  off  unnecessary  actions. 

"■Sincerity:  Use  no  hurtful  deceit;  think  innocently  and 
justly,  and  if  you  speak,  speak  accordingly. 

"yustice  : Wrong  no  man  by  doing  injuries  or  omitting  the 
benefits  that  are  your  duty. 

"Moderation:  Avoid  extremities;  forbear  resenting  in- 
juries as  much  as  you  think  they  deserve. 

“ Cleanliness:  Tolerate  no  uncleanliness  in  body,  clothes  or 
habitation. 

“ Tranquility  : Be  not  disturbed  at  trifles,  nor  at  acci- 
dents, common  or  unavoidable. 

"Motives  to  Action;  i.  Regard  to  your  own  happiness.  2. 
Regard  to  the  family  to  which  you  belong.  3.  Strive  to  at- 
tain a straight  elevation  of  character.  4.  Fix  upon  a high 
standard  of  action  and  character. 

“It  is  a man’s  highest  interest  not  to  violate,  or  attempt  to 
violate,  the  rules  which  Infinite  Wisdom  has  laid  down.  The 
means  by  which  men  are  to  attain  great  elevation  may  be 
classed  in  three  divisions — physical,  mental  and  moral.  What- 
ever relates  to  health,  belongs  to  the  first;  whatever  relates  to 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  103 

the  improvement  of  the  mind  belongs  to  the  second.  The  for- 
mation of  good  manners  and  virtuous  habits  constitute  the 
third. 

^'Choice  of  Friendc  : i.  A man  is  known  by  the  company 
he  keeps.  2.  Be  cautious  in  your  selection.  3.  There  is 
danger  in  catching  the  habits  of  your  associates.  4.  Seek  those 
who  are  intelligent  and  virtuous ; and,  if  possible,  those 
who  are  a little  above  you,  especially  in  moral  excellence.  5. 
It  is  not  desirable  to  have  a large  number  of  intimate  friends. 
You  may  have  many  acquaintances  but  few  intimate 
friends.  If  you  have  one^  who  is  what  he  should  be,  you  are 
co7nparatively  happy.  “That  friendship  may  be  fond  and  last- 
ing, there  must  not  only  be  equal  virtue  in  each,  but  virtue  of 
the  same  kind ; not  only  the  same  end  must  be  proposed,  but 
the  same  means  must  be  approved. 

“Good  breeding,  or  true  politeness,  is  the  art  of  showing 
men  by  external  signs  the  internal  regard  we  have  for  them ; 
it  arises  from  good  sense,  improved  by  good  company.  It 
must  be  acquired  by  practice  and  not  by  books.  “Be  kind, 
condescending  and  affable.  Any  one  who  has  anything  to  say 
10  a fellow  being,  to  say  it  with  kind  feelings  and  sincere  de- 
sire to  please ; and  this  whenever  it  is  done,  will  atone  for 
much  awkwardness  in  the  manner  of  expression. 

Good-breeding  is  opposed  to  selfishness , vanity  or  pride. 
Never  weary  your  company  by  talking  too  long  or  too  fre- 
quently. Always  look  people  in  the  face  when  addressing 
them,  and  generally  when  they  address  you. 

“Make  it  a rule  never  to  accuse  without  due  consideration 
any  body  or  association  of  men.  Never  try  to  appear  more 
wise  or  learned  than  the  rest  of  the  company.  Not  that  you 
should  affect  ignorance,  but  endeavor  to  remain  within  your 
own  proper  sphere.” 

What  girl  or  boy  in  all  the  schools  of  the  world,  or  man  or 
woman,  could  not  copy  each  of  these  excellent  rules,  and  fol 
low  them  through  life  with  exalted  results.? 

Nearly  all  boys  at  school  have  some  sort  of  experiences  in 
the  way  of  personal  differences  with  some  of  their  schoolmates. 
Although  Jackson  was  considered  by  both  the  professors  and 


104  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

the  cadets  a young  man  of  very  amiable  disposition  generally, 
he  was  known  to  have  a temper  not  easily  mistaken.  He  was 
not  quarrelsome,  fault-finding  or  fussy,  but  when  he  was 
aroused,  the  offender  must  convince  him  that  he  was  being 
fairly  treated,  and  satisfy  him  thoroughly. 

The  only  personal  difficulty  Jackson  had  with  a fellow  stu- 
dent at  West  Point  shows  by  his  experience  the  difference  in 
the  final  results  in  the  lives  of  the  two  young  men,  the  value  of 
integrity  and  the  baseness  of  relaxed  principles.  This  cadet, 
who  was  Jackson’s  sole  enemy,  resembled  him  in  some  re- 
spects : he  was  an  orphan  from  the  far  West,  poorly  prepared 
as  Jackson  was  when  he  entered  the  Academy,  was  anxious 
to  learn,  was  a country  boy  and  capable  of  great  exertion. 
Like  Jackson  he  incurred  the  same  jokes  from  the  cadets 
when  he  entered  West  Point,  but  he  showed  such  good  sense 
when  the  boys  were  teasing  or  hazing  him  that  at  first  the 
boys  seemed  to  like  him.  He  studied  well  and  progressed. 

There  was  no  reason  as  far  as  any  one  could  see  why  he  and 
Jackson  should  not  be  friends  and  let  their  careers  run  along 
together.  And  no  doubt  these  two  country  boys  would  have 
both  shown  great  strength  in  the  service  of  their  country,  but 
for  the  reason  that  one  was  bad  and  the  other  correct  and  up- 
right.  Jackson  rose  to  the  highest  fame  throughout  the 
world,  both  for  his  Christian  character,  and  his  fidelity  and 
faithfulness  to  duty. 

It  was  during  his  second  year  that  Jackson  discovered  the 
flaws  in  the  character  of  this  cadet.  He  had  often  told  false- 
hoods to  escape  demerits  ; had  formed  associations  in  the  vil- 
lage near  the  ^Icademy  not  such  as  Jackson  and  cadets  of  good 
standing  would  consent  to  make  companions  of.  These  little 
things  begun  to  show  the  real  character  of  the  unfortunate 
cadet,  and  yet  no  one  had  the  courage  to  stand  up  for  the  Acad- 
emy and  have  it  cleansed  of  such  a person ; but  the  time 
came  and  Jackson  took  hold  vigorously,  and  his  indignation 
was  so  great  that  had  it  not  been  for  the  pleadings  of  cadets 
and  professors,  the  Academy  would  have  been  purged  of  such 
a person. 

One  day  Jackson’s  musket  (called  rifle  now)  was  missing 


West  Point  Scenes — Chapel  U S.  Military  Academy.)  West  Point  Scenes — I^ibrary.  ( U.  S.  Military  Academy.) 


^ c 
^ 2 
tT  Q 

-t  Vi 

^ I 


2 > 


Scenes  Inseparably  Associated  with  the  Life  of  Jackson 
and  the  Beautiful  Valleys  and  Mountains. 


A Camp  Scene  of  V.  M.  I.  Cadets — Valley  of  Virginia. 


Story  of  Stonewati.  Jackson.  109 

and  another  one  was  in  its  place.  He  kept  his  musket  free 
from  any  rust  or  dirt,  and  the  one  he  found  in  place  of  his  was 
in  bad  condition.  He  called  the  captain’s  attention  to  this 
and  told  him  that  his  gun  had  a private  mark.  That  afternoon 
at  the  examination  of  the  muskets  of  the  cadets,  Jackson’s  was 
found  in  the  hands  of  the  cadet  whom  he  suspected  and  to 
whom  reference  has  been  made.  The  cadet  at  once  began  to 
tell  falsehoods  about  the  matter,  but  Jackson  showed  the  pri- 
vate mark.  It  was  bad  enough  to  be  too  lazy  to  clean  a gun, 
but  was  \vorse  to  tell  a lie  to  shield  such  laziness.  It  was 
still  much  more  disgraceful  to  tell  a lie  about  stealing  a fellow 
cadet’s  clean  gun  and  passing  it  off  on  inspection  fraudulently. 

Jackson  had  been  indignant,  but  his  anger  was  now  un- 
bounded, and  he  demanded  that  the  cadet  should  be  court- 
martialed  and  dismissed  from  the  Academy.  Jackson  felt 
the  school  was  possessed  of  a nuisance  and  if  a boy  of  that 
kind  got  through  he  would  be  a bad  man  in  the  army.  Jack- 
son’s conviction  concerning  the  boy  was  correct,  for  it  was  not 
long  until  the  recreant  was  tried  for  disgraceful  conduct  and 
violating  his  parole,  and  was  expelled  from  the  Academy. 

This  fallen  cadet  went  out  to  Texas,  then  a new  State,  or 
scarcely  that,  and  pretended  to  study  law.  He  was  not  of 
the  material  that  lawyers  should  be  made  of,  and  he  likely  dis- 
covered this  himself,  and  started  out  to  the  far  West,  to  Cali- 
fornia, on  a ship.  He  attempted  to  swindle  the  ship’s  captain 
out  of  his  fare,  and  was  put  off  the  ship  on  the  coast  of  Mex- 
ico, without  a friend  or  money. 

From  the  point  at  which  he  was  put  off  the  ship,  he  drifted 
on  to  the  mountains  and  soon  took  up  with  a tribe  of  Indians, 
the  Tuscans.  His  training  in  military  science  at  West  Point 
served  him  in  this  extremity,  and  he  was  made  a “big  man” 
among  them.  It  is  said  that  he  was  as  savage  as  they  needed 
any  one  to  be  and  was  a robber  after  their  own  heart,  so  he 
was  made  a chief,  and  possessed  more  wives  than  the  others. 
Finally  he  and  his  outlaw  companions  had  a great  row,  and, 
as  may  be  expected,  the  row  was  over  the  spoils  of  a robbery 
and  murder,  in  this  case  of  a peddler.  The  Indians  were  not 
equal  to  his  meanness,  and  they  expelled  him  from  their  tribe 


I lO 


Story  of  Stonewati,  Tackson. 


This  was  tough  indeed,  adjudging  him  lower  than  a savage. 

At  the  end  of  his  first  year,  in  a class  of  seventy-two  he 
stood  forty-fifth  in  mathematics,  seventieth  in  French,  and 
was  fifty-fifth  in  general  merit.  At  the  end  of  the  second 
year  Jackson  stood  eighteenth  in  mathematics,  fifty-second  in 
French,  sixty-eighth  in  drawing,  fifty-fifth  in  engineering 
studies,  and  ranked  thirtieth  in  general  merit.  In  this  year 
he  went  from  pure  mathematics  to  chemistry  and  natural 
philosophy. 

At  the  end  of  his  third  year,  he  stood  in  philosophy  elev- 
enth; chemistry,  twenty-fifth  ; drawing,  fifty-ninth ; in  gen- 
eral merit,  twentieth.  It  will  be  noticed  that  in  drawing 
Jackson  did  not  rank  high. 

This  is  easily  accounted  for,  when  it  is  remembered  that 
Jackson  was  original ; and  copying  seems  never  to  have  been 
his  forte.  Speaking  of  drawing,  an  anecdote  is  related  con- 
cerning an  experience  he  had  with  some  of  his  engineers  dur- 
ing one  of  his  campaigns  in  the  war  for  Southern  independ- 
ence. Upon  an  occasion  it  became  necessary  to  cross  a cer- 
tain stream,  and  the  necessity  for  crossing  was  urgent.  He  sent 
for  his  engineer  and  they  with  much  ceremony  and  detail  of 
imposed  importance  set  to  work  to  draw  plans  for  a bridge. 
Jackson  waited  some  time,  and  not  having  a report  of  his 
army  getting  on  the  other  side  of  the  stream,  he  did  a little 
engineering  himself,  and  by  means  of  the  running-gear  of 
camp-wagons  and  such  pieces  of  lumber  as  could  be  obtained 
he  speeded  his  army  across  the  stream.  Imagine  the  chagrin 
of  his  technical  engineers  when  they  learned  that  their  plans, 
though  pronounced  by  Jackson  very  attractive,  would  not  be 
required  on  the  occasion  for  which  they  were  made.  Jackson 
may  have  stood  fifty-ninth  in  drawing  but  he  stood  first  in 
building. 

At  the  end  of  his  fourth  year,  being  the  last  of  the  course  of 
the  Academy,  he  stood  in  engineering,  twelfth,  ethics  fifth 
artillery,  eleventh  ; infantry  tactics, first ; mineralogy,  eleventh. 
His  general  standing  was  seventeenth  as  a graduate. 

The  rating  of  Jackson  as  a graduate  must  not  be  judged  by 
the  ordinary  test  or  from  common  comparison.  He  entered 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


Ill 


the  Academy,  as  we  have  stated,  a lad  exceedingly  poorly 
equipped  in  the  matter  of  educational  facility.  He  came  from 
a mountainous  region  where,  because  of  the  scantiness  of 
population,  schools  were  few  and  comparatively  inferior;  he 
was  a poor  boy,  without  parents  or  friends  who  were  specially 
interested  in  his  education.  Without  such  aid  and  means  with 
which  to  obtain  an  education,  his  entrance  into  West  Point 
and  the  remarkable  confidence  displayed  by  him  in  his  ability 
to  overcome  the  barrier  which  ever  stands  before  the  gates  of 
the  great  military  academy — educational  fitness — and  his  won- 
derful progress  after  he  had,  what  some  of  the  military  men 
of  the  day  has  termed,  “broken  in”  West  Point,  is  a lasting 
testimony  to  his  ability,  strength  of  mind,  force  of  character, 
and  indomitable  pluck.  We  do  not  believe  that  in  the  history 
of  this  magnificent  institution,  the  supreme  military  school 
of  a proud  people,  there  is  a counterpart  of  Jackson’s  record, 
in  history  of  any  man  who  has  borne  a sword,  won  within 
its  portals. 

It  is  a record  of  which  his  admirers  will  ever  feel  it  their 
esteemed  privilege  to  refer  to  their  children  and  to  all  history  ; 
and  while  many  of  the  ablest  and  truest  men  in  the  history  of 
the  United  States  have  reflected  honor  upon  the  Academy, 
yet,  as  a fact  Stonewall  Jackson  would  not  have  been  a 
possibility  in  the  military  history  of  the  world  but  for  the  ex- 
cellence of  this  school ; it  is  also  a fact  that  Thomas  Jonathan 
Jackson,  the  mountain  lad,  who  walked  into  the  imposing 
environments  of  the  Academy  with  no  other  baggage  than  a 
pair  of  saddlebags,  did  not  fail  to  honor  the  Academy. 

It  has  been  said  that  had  Jackson  been  prepared,  as  is  the 
average  successful  candidate  for  West  Point,  he  would  have 
left  the  Academy  with  a rating  of  first.  His  rapid  progress 
would  seem  to  make  this  possible.  The  marks  a student  shows 
at  school,  that  is,  the  relative  number  he  obtains  at  graduation, 
is  not  the  gauge  by  which  to  estimate  his  force  and  natural 
abilities.  Many  strong  minds  are  slow,  and,  as  shown  in  the 
case  of  Jackson,  develop  steadily  and  surely.  In  estimating 
the  quality  of  Jackson’s  intellect,  it  will  be  remarked  that  his 
mind  was  of  that  quality  of  which  statesmen,  students,  phi- 


II2 


Story  of  vStonewall  Jackson. 


losophers,  leaders,  generals,  moral  reasoners,  governing  men, 
is  composed.  This  is  demonstrated  in  his  success  'with  ethics, 
in  which  he  stood  fifth. 

So  many  men  in  discussing  Jackson’s  intellectuality  have 
referred  to  his  lack  of  brilliancy,  basing  doubtless  their  esti- 
mate upon  his  class  rating  at  graduation,  that  it  may  be  proper 
to  again  refer  to  the  fact  that  Daniel  W ebster,  the  acknowl- 
edged statesman  of  his  period,  failed  to  graduate,  and  yet  he 
possessed  qualities  of  mind  that  won  for  him  imperishable 
fame. 

At  West  Point  were  men  who  became  distinguished  in  after 
years  ; in  fact,  they  were  called,  “The  Immortals,”  and  though 
nearly  all  were  Jackson’s  seniors  in  point  of  age,  he  passed 
them  all.  One  of  them  speaks  of  him  at  the  blackboard  thus  : 
“His  struggles  at  the  blackboard  were  often  painful  to  witness. 
In  his  struggles  to  solve  a problem,  he  would  invariably  cover 
himself,  face  and  uniform,  with  chalk.  And  he  perspired  so 
freely,  even  in  the  coldest  weather,  that  the  cadets  declared 
whenever  old  Jack,  or  the  General,  as  he  at  once  had  been 
dubbed  in  honor  of  his  name,  got  a difficult  proposition,  he 
was  certain  to  flood  the  class  room.  We  were  studying  that 
winter  analytical  geometry  and  algebra,  and  Jackson  was 
very  low  in  his  class.” 

For  a considerable  time  at  the  Academy  the  Orderly  Ser- 
geant, whose  duty  it  is  to  call  the  roll,  was  Jackson’s  room- 
mate ; he  often  told  Jackson  he  need  not  attend  reveille  (roll- 
call)  at  which  every  cadet  was  supposed  to  answer  his  name. 
Jackson  did  not  propose  to  cheat,  and  never  once  did  he  fail 
to  be  present  and  answer  his  name  properly. 

He  seemed  indifferent  to  what  impression  he  made  upon 
any  one.  His  love  for  the  memory  of  his  mother  and  his  only 
living  sister,  Laura,  seemed  to  occupy  his  affections  mainly ; 
although  his  fellow  students  at  the  Academy  say  that  he  was 
popular,  never  having  received  a harsh  word  from  the  profes- 
sors or  cadets  while  there,  and  all  cherished  the  kindest  feel- 
ings for  “old  Jack”  as  they  affectionately  called  the  serious 
cadet.  Jackson’s  soldiers  called  him  “old  Jack”;  he  was  a 
man  who  must  have  appeared  much  older  than  he  was.  He 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


”3 


never  was  sensitive  or  vain  ; just  a natural,  true  hearted  youth, 
whom  all  respected. 

It  is  said  of  Napoleon  that  he  lived  on  bread  and  water  in 
order  that  he  might  aid  in  educating  his  brothers.  Napoleon, 
like  Jackson,  was  poor,  and  his  struggles  in  early  life  were  not 
dissimilar  from  those  of  Jackson.  To  this  warm  and  pulsing 
element  in  the  make-up  of  him  who  has  stood  before  the  com- 
bined authorities  in  State,  military,  and  social  affairs  of  his 
century  and  who  to-day  is  more  glorious  than  he  was  when 
at  the  zenith  of  his  magnificent  achievements,  and  whose  life’s 
story  is  winning  the  pen  of  the  ablest  writers  of  every  coun- 
try, all  must  give  a choice  flower  from  the  collection  of  manly 
gratitude.  He  was  despotic,  but  he  was  great.  He  was  am- 
bitious, but  he  was  loyal,  and  loyal  in  that  sense  that  meets 
the  Biblical  words  with  a query,  “He  clingeth  closer  than  a 
brother,”  and  set  the  example  of  depriving  himself,  even  of 
the  scantiness  of  his  means  that  he  might  advance  the  fortunes 
of  his  brother,  and  yet  Napoleon  was  ambitious. 

A writer  upon  the  subject  of  the  war  for  Southern  Inde* 
pendence  has  said  that  Jackson  was  ambitious.  We  deny  one 
instance  in  his  whole  life  where  the  rankling  selfishness  of  am- 
bition, put  a single  tendril  about  the  heart  of  Jackson.  He 
possessed  a manliness  that  knew  no  more  of  ambition  than 
that  of  an  over- weaning  fondness  for  the  liberties  of  his  fellow 
man.  When  on  the  battle-field,  while  drinking  deep  draughts 
of  war’s  intoxicants,  never  once  did  he  give  a note  in  the  song 
of  praises  that  went  up  from  his  people,  or  the  shout  of  vie. 
tory  ; but  would  turn  his  face  to  the  God  of  battles  and  plead 
that  He  would  accept  his  gi'atitude  and  praise  for  the  good  of 
the  hour.  And  peace  of  home  was  the  burden  of  nearly  every 
letter  he  sent  to  that  faithful  wife  from  whom  he  was  torn  by 
a war,  the  bringing  about  of  which  he  had  no  part ; and  had  he 
been  ambitious,  it  is  not  probable  he  would  in  the  face  of  un- 
broken victories,  have  longed  for  home  and  the  peace  of  the 
fireside.  What  part  has  ambition  in  the  life  of  a man  who  is 
on  record  as  having  with  the  first  money  he  earned,  out  of  the 
little  savings  allowed  by  the  United  States  to  the  cadets  at 
West  Point,  entirely  forgetting  self  and  his  needs,  devoted 


1 14  Story  of  Stone-\valt  Jackson. 

almost  the  entire  sum  to  the  purchase  of  a silk  dress  for  his 
only  sister,  a poor  young  girl,  who  had  never  before  owned 
such  costly  raiment.  This  was  the  kind  of  ambition  Jackson 
possessed — unselfishness  and  loyalty. 

At  school  Napoleon  lived  with  his  professor  that  he  might 
gain  aid  in  recesses  and  thus  sooner  reach  the  end  of  his  edu- 
cational period.  Jackson  studied  at  night  after  bed-time, 
(taps)  by  anthracite  firelight,  that  he  might,  as  far  as  possi- 
ble, keep  up  with  his  classes.  Jackson  and  Napoleon  were 
ambitious  in  entirely  different  degrees  and  phrases.  Their 
“paths  of  ambition”  widely  diverged.  They  resembled  in 
many  respects,,  but  Jackson  was  Napoleon’s  superior.  Jack- 
son  never  forgot  his  childhood,  and  the  hallowed  influences  of 
that  period  of  his  life  guided  him  to  the  last  hour  at  Chancel- 
lorsville.  He  possessed  a heart  as  true  and  tender  as  it  was 
brave.  Many  question  Napoleon’s  heart. 

On  June  20,  1846,  Jackson  graduated  at  West  Point  Military 
Academy  as  brevet  second  lieutenant  of  artillery.  He  was 
twenty-two  years  of  age. 

In  1857,  eleven  years  after  graduation,  he  visited  the  scenes 
of  his  old  school  days  at  West  Point  and  so  thoroughly  en- 
joyed his  stay  there  that,  it  is  related,  he  was  up  from  early 
morning  until  late  in  the  evening  each  day,  among  the  scenes 
of  that  most  attractive  region.  Some  of  his  old  friends  he  met 
there,  and  they  spent  many  hours  in  reviewing  the  past  and  the 
life  memories  of  the  Academy,  which,  up  to  that  period,  had 
never  been  disturbed  by  the  most  unhappy  occurrence  that  has, 
or  will  ever  be  known  in  the  Union.  During  this  visit  he 
would  go  at  daybreak  to  Fort  Putnam  and  enjoy  the  sunrise 
which  is  said  to  be  one  of  the  most  resplendent  and  glorious 
displays  of  the  King  of  Day  to  be  witnessed  in  America. 
Jackson  loved  nature,  as  all  truly  great  men  do. 

Usually,  a visit  in  after  life  to  the  scene  of  one’s  school  days 
is  fraught  with  saddening  retrospect,  but  Jackson  always  re- 
ferred to  West  Point  with  genuine  pleasure;  he  was  grateful 
by  nature,  and  realizing  the  benefits  received  at  the  Academy, 
the  thought  of  his  life  there  was  always  a bright  one. 

It  is  noteworthy  as  a fact,  that  Jackson  lived  very  close  as 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  115 

far  as  this  world  is  concerned,  to  the  present ; and  while  his 
early  life  had  been  saddened,  and  by  nature  he  was  sensitive, 
he  seldom  referred  to  sadnesses,  and  constantly  was  cheering 
and  directing  the  mind  and  heart  of  all  with  whom  he  was  as- 
sociated-, to  happy  thoughts,  to  gratitude,  and  joyous  antici- 
pation ; he  was  not  despondent  nor  over-confident  or  unduly 
hopeful ; his  was  what  is  usually  termed  an  even  temperament, 
placid,  gently  firm. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


IN  THE  MEXICAN  WAR  1846-47. 

Lieutenant  Jackson  had  hardly  gotten  to  his  home,  from 
West  Point,  when  he  was  railed  to  the  front  in  the  war 
with  Mexico.  He  reported  for  duty  to  First  Regiment  of  Ar- 
tillery, and  went  through  Pennsylvania,  down  to  the  Ohio 
River,  thence  down  the  Mississippi  River  to  New  Orleans, 
thence  to  the  army  in  Mexico. 

Jackson  often  referred  to  the  magnificent  array  of  the 
United  States  troops  as  they  landed  on  the  shores  of  Mexico, 
with  colors  flying,  bands  playing  martial  music,  and  all  ready 
for  battle.  He  said  few  men  had  seen  such  a grand  sight. 
Jackson  participated  in  the  attack  upon  Vera  Cruz,  in  which 
the  Americans  were  victorious. 

“I  wanted  to  see  active  service,”  he  said  in  after  years,  “to 
be  near  the  enemy,  and  in  the  fight ; and  when  I heard  that 
John  Magruder  had  got  his  battery,  I bent  all  my  energies  to 
be  with  him,  for  I knew  if  any  fighting  was  done,  Magruder 
would  be  on  hand.”  He  was  not  disappointed. 

One  feature  of  the  Mexican  war  may  here  be  noted.  General 
Grant  has  said,  “It  was  the  most  unjust  war  ever  waged  by  a 
stronger  against  a weaker  nation.”  His  views  seem  to  differ 
from  events  of  the  war  for  Southern  Independence,  when  a 
powerful  section  of  the  same  country  forced  the  much  weaker, 
into  a war  more  unjust  than  the  Mexican. 

Mexicans  fought  something  like  the  Cubans,  not  in  large 
numbers,  but  by  small  squads  or  bands,  and  though  well  dis- 
ciplined, they  were  soldiers  of  a different  type  from  the 
Americans,  but  fought  desperately.  Not  that  the  Americans 
were  not  brave,  for  theif  constant  conquests  proved  them  all 
of  this.  But  the  Mexicam  was  a ranger,  full  of  adventure  and 
accustomed  to  extreme  danger  and  struggle.  Jackson  was 
aware  of  this  and  was  eager  to  fight  them.  He  was  known 

to  envy  men  who  had  been  in  the  battle  with  them.  The 
116 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  117 

Mexican  country  is  enchanting,  the  historic  romances  invit- 
ing, and  he  was  young. 

The  heat  of  summer  was  upon  the  army,  and  Jackson  in 
August  was  in  front  of  Churubusco  fighting  desperately. 
IMagruder’s  first  lieutenant,  Johnstone,  was  killed,  and  Jack- 
son  took  his  place.  In  this  battle  Magruder  says  of  Jackson 
in  his  report  to  the  commander  of  the  army,  these  words  : 

‘Tn  a few  moments,  Lieutenant  Jackson  commanding  the 
second  section  of  the  battery,  who  had  opened  fire  upon  the 
enemy  on  the  right,  hearing  our  fire  still  further  in  the  front, 
advanced  in  handsome  style,  and  assigned  by  me  to  the  post  so 
gallantly  filled  by  Lieutenant  Johnstone,  kept  up  the  fire  with 
great  briskness  and  effect.  His  conduct  was  equally  conspic- 
uous during  the  entire  day  and  I cannot  too  highly  commend 
him  to  the  Major  General’s  favorable  consideration.” 

In  reward  for  this,  his  first  day’s  work,  in  which  he  had 
anything  like  an  independent  command,  or  chance  to  display 
his  abilities  when  left  to  resources,  he  was  promoted  to  the 
position  of  first  lieutenant  of  the  company  and  the  rank  of 
brevet  captain  of  artillery.  Jackson  had  been  mentioned 
honorable  for  his  services  at  Vera  Cruz. 

Jackson  had  not  yet  ‘‘drunk  delight  of  battle  with  his 
peers”  to  the  measure  of  his  thirst.  September  came,  and 
over  the  Mexican  war  still  hung  the  soldier’s  tormentor — doubt. 
But  the  situation  soon  called  for  action  and  the  United  States 
decided  to  act.  Before  our  arms  stood  the  stronghold  of  the 
Mexicans,  their  citadel  as  it  were — Chapultepec.  Without 
flinching,  Jackson  took  the  outpost  of  danger  in  the  attack 
against  Chapultepec,  and  so  fierce  was  the  artillery  fire  of 
the  enemy  that  General  Worth  rode  up  to  Jackson  and  urged 
him  to  retire.  Jackson  replied  that  if  they  would  give  him 
fifty  veterans  he  would  rather  attempt  to  capture  the  battery 
that  had  crippled  his,  than  retreat.  In  his  first  war  experi- 
ence he  requested  more  power  and  was  denied.  In  his  second 
war  experience  he  asked  for  more  power  and  privilege  and 
was  denied. 

Jackson  was  in  a road  which  was  being  raked  by  the  fire 
of  the  Mexican  artillery,  and  his  men  and  horses  were  nearly 


ii8  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

all  killed.  Magruder  rode  up  and  before  reaching  Jackson, 
had  his  horse  killed  under  him.  He  found  that  Jackson  had 
almost  single-handed  gotten  one  of  his  cannon  over  a ditch — 
there  were  many  ditches  about  him,  as  if  dug  to  prevent  move- 
ment of  artillery  and  troops.  He  was  firing  rapidly  in  per- 
son on  the  enemy,  only  a sergeant  was  with  him.  Another 
piece  of  artillery  was  brought  to  him  and  soon  the  enemy  were 
driven  by  Jackson’s  fire. 

Just  about  this  time,  the  castle  of  Chapultepec  was  under 
severe  pressure  and  danger  from  our  men  on  two  sides,  and  the 
Mexicans  were  in  full  run  towards  the  city.  Jackson’s  horses 
were  all  either  dead,  or  so  tangled  up  in  the  harness,  that 
some  time  was  consumed  in  getting  his  cannon  moved,  and 
finally  he  abandoned  the  caissons  of  the  cannons,  and  mount- 
ed them  on  the  front  gear  of  wagons,  and  thus,  in  his  eager- 
ness, ran  after  the  enemy,  and  poured  death  into  their 
ranks. 

Next  morning  the  white  flag  of  Santa  Anna,  the  Mexican 
Commander-in-Chief,  was  seen  floating  from  the  citadel.  The 
two  thousand  convicts  he  had  turned  loose  from  the  prison  the 
afternoon  before,  had  very  little  effect.  His  army  was  lost. 
To  Jackson  was  due  much  of  the  credit  of  this  great  victory^ 
one  of  the  most  daring  and  desperate  battles  fought  in  the 
history  of  war.  The  taking  of  the  strongly  fortified, 
heavily  armored  and  walled  city,  matches  the  valor  of  the 
hosts  of  battle,  with  ever  increasing  glory  to  American  arms. 

General  Pillow,  whom  Jackson  faced  in  angry  battle,  at 
Chancellorsville,  the  last  battle  of  his  life,  thus  refers  to  Jack- 
son’s part  in  the  battle  at  Chapultepec  : “After  advancing 
some  four  hundred  yards,  we  came  to  a battery  under  the 
gallant  Jackson,  who  had  lost  most  of  his  horses,  and  many  of 
his  men,  continued  chivalrously  at  his  post,  combatting  with 
noble  courage.”  General  Pillow  like  Hooker,  was  associated 
with  the  beginning  and  ending  of  Jackson’s  military  career. 
In  the  former  as  companion-in-arms,'in  the  latter  antagonists 
in  battle. 

Magruder  thus  refers  to  Jackson  in  his  battle’s  official  re- 
port: “I  beg  leave  to  call  attention  of  the  Major-General 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  119 

commanding  the  division,  to  the  conduct  of  Lieut.  Jackson,  of 
the  First  Artillery.  If  devotion,  industry,  talent  and  gal- 
lantry, are  the  highest  qualities  of  a soldier,  then  is  he  en- 
titled to  the  distinction  which  their  possession  confers.  I have 
been  ably  seconded  in  all  the  operations  of  the  battery  by  him  ; 
and  upon  this  occasion,  when  circumstances  placed  him  in 
command,  for  a short  time,  of  an  independent  section,  he 
proved  himself  eminently  worthy.” 

It  is  a source  of  satisfaction  to  refer  to  this  report  of  Gen. 
Magruders,  as  it  will  be  observed  that  so  soon  as  Jackson  was 
put  in  charge  of  an  independent  section,  he  proved  himself 
capable,  but  more,  as  regards  to  a study  of  his  life,  that  on  any 
occasion  when  his  strength  was  allowed  to  be  exercised  under 
the  direction  of  his  personal  control  and  individual  freedom, 
he  was  masterful  in  the  last  degree  and  accomplished  results, 
the  importance  of  which  invariably  proved  him  worthy  of 
first  place  where  management,  action,  discretion  and  mental 
capacity,  were  required.  In  after  years  in  his  second  war, 
in  the  renowned  Valley  Campaign,  he  demonstrated  that,  un- 
trammelled and  unburdened  by  the  opinions  of  others,  left  to 
the  exercise  of  his  own  powers,  he  was  irresistibly  successful 
and  eminently  a commander  worthy  of  his  cause  and  people. 

This  report  of  Magruder’son  the  battle  above  referred  to,  was 
received  directly  by  Capt.  Joe  Hooker,  who  was  then  acting 
as  adjutant  to  General  Pillow.  In  the  irony  of  fate,  the  bear- 
er of  the  first  commendation  and  nomination  for  promotion 
that  “this  young  military  genius  of  the  West”  had  the  honor 
of  receiving,  was  conveyed  to  the  commanding  general  by 
Flooker,  who  commanded  the  army  of  the  Invaders,  at 
Charicellorsville,  which  marked  the  last  act  in  the  tragedy 
of  his  military  life,  and  the  hand  that  bore  Jackson’s  hon- 
orable mention  from  Magruder  to  Pillow,  held  the  sword 
of  a powerful  enemy,  in  the  closing  scenes  of  that  career,  so 
brilliantly  inaugurated  before  the  castle  of  Chapultepec  ; and, 
while  that  sword  had  no  part  in  the  final  moment,  but  went 
down  in  defeat  before  the  thunderbolts  of  Jackson,  yet  these 
incidents  illustrate  that  men  of  the  United  States  were  called 
upon  to  praise  and  spurn,  to  fight  with  and  against  each 


120 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


other,  and  are  equal  to  either  position  and  are  true  to  the  flag 
under  which  they  serve  or  the  duty  of  the  occasion. 

Jackson,  Pillow,  Magruder,  Hooker,  the  Hills,  Grant,  Lee, 
McDowell,  Beauregard,  Scott,  Pope,  Johnston,  Gustave  Smith, 
Longstreet,  Ewell,  Edward  Johnson  and  the  immortal  Robert 
E.  Lee,  Jefferson  Davis,  and  others  who  fought  one  another 
in  the  war  for  Southern  Independence,  were  comrades  in 
arms  in  the  Mexican  war,  and  often  in  the  same  engage- 
ment. 

The  following  anecdote  is  too  good  to  be  missed.  After 
the  Americans  had  taken  possession  of  tne  capital  of  Mexico, 
which  the  battle  of  Chapultepec  gave  them,  the  commanding 
general,  Scott,  gave  a reception,  or  levee.  Jackson  was  pre- 
sented to  the  general — (his  being  a subaltern,  and,  consequent- 
ly looked  upon  as  a “small  fry,”  the  general  was  not  sup- 
posed to  know  him  save  in  an  official  way.  It  is  one  of  the 
peculiarities  in  military  etiquette  to  bombard  subalterns  with 
snubs  that  would  not  be  tolerated  in  any  other  system  of 
society).  When  Jackson  came  up  to  be  introduced  by  the 
master  of  ceremonies,  the  General  pretended  to  be  opposed 
to  shaking  hands  with  him,  and  said  : “I  don’t  know  that  I 
care  to  shake  hands  with  Mister  Jackson.”  This  surprised 
and  confused  the  young  officer,  and  he  blushed  like  a girl. 

General  Scott  having  drawn  the  attention  of  all  present  by 
this  unusual  action,  said:  “If  you  can  forgive  yourself  for  the 
way  you  slaughtered  those  poor  Mexicans  with  your  guns,  I 
am  not  sure  that  I can.”  Then  he  held  out  his  hand  to  the 
young  artillerist. 

Who  would  not  be  proud  of  such  a compliment  from  the 
commander  of  the  Army  of  America.?  Yet  we  are  told  Jack- 
son  did  not  seem  to  think  he  had  done  anything  remarkable  in 
the  great  battle. 

In  seven  months  from  the  time  he  landed  in  Mexico,  he  had 
passed  all  his  brother  West  Pointers  of  his  class,  1846,  and  was 
twice  promoted,  being  now  a brevet  major.  “These  promo- 
tions, too,  were  won  in  a day,”  his  old  Lexington  cadets 
proudly  claimed. 

Jackson  often  said  that  he  would  always  thank  General 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


I 2 I 


Pillow  for  making  his  section  of  artillery  separate  that  day  at 
Chapultepec.  He,  like  Napoleon’s  marshal,  Ney.  loved  the 
excitement  of  battle  and  was  greater  in  the  smoke  and  roar  of 
battle  than  in  camp.  Jackson  differed  from  Napoleon’s  de- 
scription of  Ney,  in  that  he,  Jackson,  was  always  great,  whether 
in  or  out  of  battle. 

In  one  of  the  important  battles  in  Mexico,  Jackson’s  men 
were  either  in  ditches,  skulking  behind  walls  or  otherwise 
hiding  from  the  terrible  fire  of  the  enemy.  This  was  a chance 
for  Jackson,  and  he  stepped  out  in  the  most  exposed  place  and 
said  : “Come  on  ! This  is  nothing.  You  see  they  can’t  hurt 
me  !”  The  soldiers  saw  a cannon  ball  pass  between  Jackson’s 
legs  as  he  stood  showing  them  how  harmless  cannon  balls 
were,  and  some  one  of  them  said  : “I  don’t  want  to  be  stung 
by  a bomb.” 

Years  afterwards  when  talking  to  a class  of  young  men  at 
the  Virginia  Military  Institute,  Lexington,  one  of  them  asked 
him  why  he  did  not  run  that  day'  before  Chapultepec  ; Jack- 
son  replied:  “I  was  not  ordered  to  do  so.  If  I had  been  or- 
dered to  run  I would  have  done  so  ; but  I was  directed  to  hold 
my  position  and  I had  no  right  to  abandon  it.”  One  of  the 
students  said,  “Major,  that  w'as  a very  hot  place,  wasn’t  it?” 
“Yes,  very  hot,”  was  his  calm  reply.  Jackson  is  said  to  have 
regretted  the  fire  was  not  hotter  so  as  to  enable  him  to  over- 
come greater  difficulties. 

A brother  officer  of  Jackson,  who  was  not  only  an  eye  wit- 
ness, but  took  part  in  the  storming  of  Chapultepec,  says  : 
“Jackson’s  little  six  pounders  could  effect  nothing  against  the 
guns  of  the  Mexicans,  of  much  heavier  calibre,  fired  from  the 
heights  of  the  fort.  But  this  did  not  prevent  Jackson  from 
doing  all  he  could,  and  he  did  a great  deal  of  harm  to  the 
Mexicans.”  “Military  officers,  like  operatic  singers  are  dis- 
posed to  be  jealous.”  , 

The  storming  of  Chapultepec  consisted  of  250  regulars  from 
Twigs,  and  250  regulars  from  Worth’s  division.  These  were 
all  volunteers  for  the  forlorn  hope.  The  officers  and  non-com- 
missioned officers  were  induced  to  volunteer  for  the  assault, 
which  was  considered  extremely  dangerous,  if  not  hopeless. 


/ 


122 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


with  the  promise  of  promotion,  and  the  men  by  the  promise 
of  pecuniary  reward.  The  Palmetto  Regiment  (South  Caro- 
lina) and  the  marine  battalion  under  Major  Twigs,  brother  of 
the  General,  supported  the  storming  party  from  Twig’s  di- 
vision. 

When  the  castle  was  captured  many  went  in  for  plunder  and 
liquor,  but  Barnard  Bee,  who  named  Jackson  “Stonewall,” 
on  the  field  of  Manassas,  in  i86i,  and  D.  H.  Hill,  afterwards 
Jackson’s  brother-in-law,  and  a gallant  Confederate  general, 
followed  down  the  causeway  with  their  men  and  pursued  the 
fleeing  Mexicans. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


HIS  MILITARY  RESIDENCE  IN  CITY  OF  MEXICO. REVIEW  OF 

HIS  RELIGIOUS  ASSOCIATIONS,  BEGUN  IN  MEXICO. 

Many  of  the  States  have  erected  monuments  to  their  heroes 
of  the  Mexican  war.  Every  State  should  do  so. 

While  the  peace  negotiations  were  going  on  and  which  re- 
quired considerable  time,  as  the  Americans  wanted  the  rich 
and  beautiful  country  north  of  Mexico,  that  is,  California,, 
which  was  a large  real  estate  deal,  and  the  conquered  Mexicans 
were  very  much  like  the  real  estate  dealers  of  this  day,  when 
their  rich  California  w-as  to  be  cut  away  from  them,  without 
much  coming  in  return  for  it,  they  allowed  the  trade  to  drag 
slowly.  The  city  was  not  averse  to  the  occupancy  of  the  Amer- 
icans, as  the  people  had  been  disturbed  by  all  manner  of  small 
and  great  wars,  and  plunder  and  tributes  were  frequently 
levied  by  the  little  tyrants. 

The  victors  and  vanquished  lived  in  peace,  and  business  was 
resumed.  Major  Jackson  was  a popular  officer,  famous  as  a 
fighter.  All  people  love  a brave  man.  He  was  quartered  in 
the  palace.  The  politicians  of  the  United  States  had  said  that 
our  army  would  lodge  in  the  “halls  of  the  Montezumas”  and 
here  Jackson  lodged  surely,  and  with  gusto  no  doubt. 

He  was  received  in  the  homes  of  the  gentlemen,  who  prided 
themselves  upon  their  pure  Castilian  blood.  Jackson  was  not 
what  is  popularly  termed  a lady’s  man,  nor  a man  of  any  par- 
ticular cultivation  for  the  ways  of  society,  but  the  beautiful 
Mexicana,  possessed  of  great  lustrous  black  eyes  and  sweet 
toned  voices  was  enough  to  win  any  young  man,  from  his 
shyness,  and  draw  him  into  the  pleasant  ways  of  the  feminine 
spheres. 

Major  Jackson  spent  his  time  enjoying  the  rest  from  the 
the  hard  campaign  through  which  he  and  the  army  had  pass- 
ed. And  it  must  have  been  a very  delightful  rest  to  him. 

Mexico  is  a pleasant  country  to  visit.  The  climate  is  one  of 
123 


124  Story  OF  Stonewall  Jackson. 

many  charms,  the  scenery  attractive,  the  rich  lands  produce 
an  abundance  of  everything,  fruits  and  flowers  are  in  great 
variety  and  perfection.  The  people  live  differently  from 
Americans  in  many  ways,  but  a stay  in  Mexico  is  certainly  a 
charming  privilege,  and  the  soldiers  fully  enjoyed  the  city 
they  had  fought  so  hard  to  capture. 

To  better  enjoy  the  society  of  those  whom  the  American 
officers  accepted  hospitality  from,  the  people  of  culture  and 
refinement,  Jackson  and  other  young  officers  began  the  study  of 
Spanish,  which  is  the  language  spoken  in  Mexico.  As  Latin 
is  not  taught  at  West  Point,  and  as  Jackson  never  had  the 
chance  to  study  it  anywhere  else,  he  found  that  the  Spanish 
language  was  somewhat  difficult  at  first.  The  only  grammar 
he  could  find  was  written  in  the  Spanish  tongue. 

He  would  study  as  best  his  means  afforded,  and  by  talking 
with  educated  people  around  him,  he  finally  in  a few  months, 
mastered  considerable  Spanish.  He  is  said  to  have  become  a 
fluent  speaker  and  writer  of  Spanish  and  in  his  library  had 
many  Spanish  works. 

Napier,  who  was  a French  writer  of  history,  and  likely 
leads  all  others  as  a military  historian  in  brilliancy  of ' lan- 
guage and  descriptive  qualities,  lived  among  those  who  were 
once  his  enemies  (Spaniards)  ; but  he  pays  many  tributes  to 
their  personal  attractions  and  cultivation,  and  was  charmed 
by  them.  So  with  Jackson,  he  could  not  escape  admiring  a 
people  so  rich  in  the  politenesses  of  life,  and  who  were  always 
generous,  considerate  and  courteous.  Jackson  was  naturally 
of  a refined  nature  and  such  people  were  congenial  to 
him. 

But  while  they  charmed  him,  yet  he  belonged  to  a race  of 
people  who  did  not  approve  of  the  light  morals  of  the  average 
Mexican,  and  he  says,  “If  the  people  of  Mexico  were  equal 
to  the  climate  and  other  natural  surroundings  of  that  country, 
he  would  consider  Mexico  an  ideal  land  to  live  in,  more  suited 
ro  his  tastes  than  anywhere  else  in  the  world.” 

He  formed  the  acquaintance  of  some  educated  ecclesiastics 
of  the  Roman  Church,  and  invited  by  them,  went  to  live  with 
them.  He  found  their  bachelor  life  (priests  are  not  allowed 


Virginia  Military  Institute,  Lexington,  Va. 

[Note:  jackson’s  name  will  ever  he  assoeiateil  with  this  great  institution,  as  J>ee’s  name  vith  tlie 
University.  Loth  Lee  ami  jaikson  are  Imried  at  Lexington,] 


Monument  at  Lexington,  Va. 


Buildiiif^s  of  Washitifrlon  ami  Leo  University  and  Ciim]nis,  Lexin^rfon. 

Gen.  Robert  K.  Lee,  President  from  October  2,  1S65  to  time  of  ids  Deatli,  October  12,  1S70. 


(8) 


Chapel  Containing  Lee  Mansoleum  and  Statue. 
(Washington  and  Lee  University,  Lexington,  Va.) 


Story  op-  Stonewall  Jackson. 


129 


to  marry)  very  luxurious  and  comfortable.  Early  in  the 
morning  \Nhen  he  would  awake,  a servant  would  bring  a 
strong  cup  of  coffee,  or  chocolate,  the  custom  of  that  climate, 
and  one  used  in  the  far  South  of  the  United  States,  also  cakes 
were  brought  him.  This  he  took  before  arising. 

Promptly,  as  military  rules  require  promptness,  at  a certain 
hour,  he  went  to  the  morning  duties  of  his  soldier  life.  After 
these  duties  were  over  he  returned  to  the  home  of  his  friends, 
and  there  took  his  regular  breakfast.  Fruit,  game  and  coffee 
form  a leading  part  in  a Mexican  breakfast.  His  dinner  was 
what  is  known  as  the  meal  of  the  day.  It  was  a feast.  Many 
times  no  doubt  this  young  warrior  thought  that  Alexico  was  a 
country  worth  many  battles  to  possess. 

His  “fine  Spanish  friends”  as  he  always  called  them,  pre- 
sented him  with  several  handsome  presents,  which  to-day  are 
among  the  household  treasures  of  his  widow,  in  North  Car- 
olina. One  of  these  presents  was  a massive  silver  spoon, 
which  must  have  been  made  for  the  royalty,  as  there  was  in 
the  center  a compartment  for  testing  poison  ! 

Jackson  was  very  fond  of  dancing,  and  as  he  has  been 
written  and  talked  so  much  about  as  a very  strict  member  of 
the  church,  and  an  extremely  dignified  man,  it  is  difficult  for 
us  to  think  of  him  as  a member  of  the  young  dancing  and  gayety- 
loving  company  of  his  brother  officers,  and  the  courtly  and 
graceful  Mexicans.  But  Jackson  was  young,  and  up  to  this 
time,  had  taken  no  part  in  religious  matters.  Nor  have  w'e 
any  record  of  his  ever  having  objected  to  dancing  or  any  other 
sane,  innocent  pastime. 

Major  Jackson,  despite  the  description  some  are  prone  to 
give  as  to  his  personal  appearance,  was  a handsome,  military 
figure,  an  officer  of  excellent  bearing,  and,  although  his  hands 
and  feet  were  above  the  average  in  size,  this  abnormal  phys- 
ical development,  if  such  it  could  be  termed,  he  inherited  from 
the  Jackson  family,  who  were  large  people.  We  read  in  that 
most  excellent  book  on  his  life,  written  by  his  widow,  that 
even  after  he  went  to  Lexington,  and  some  time  after  his  mar- 
riage, he  would  frequently  dance  for  her  some  of  the  Spanish 
dances,  and  gracefully,  too. 


130  Story  of  Stonewali,  Jackson. 

In  the  American  army  at  that  time  was  an  officer,  Col. 
Francis  Taylor,  commander  of  Jackson’s  artillery  regiment, 
whose  services  as  a Christian  among  the  men  and  officers,  is  a 
part  of  the  history  of  the  war  with  Mexico.  He  was  a devout 
man,  and  was  a friend  to  those  who  sought  to  know  of  the  way 
of  life.  Colonel  Taylor  saw  in  Jackson  an  earnest  and  use- 
ful man,  and  he  at  once  talked  with  him  concerning  his  soul 
and  the  things  that  belonged  to  God.  He  showed  Jackson 
that  it  was  his  duty  to  lead  a life  free  from  sin,  and  to  asso- 
ciate himself  with  the  work  of  the  church.  All  who  know 
Jackson  will  readily  understand  that  this  Christian  soldier 
touched  the  key  of  Jackson’s  full  attention.  For  once  Jack- 
,son  was  made  to  feel  that  it  was  his  duty  to  do  a thing,  and 
his  whole  thought  and  strength  was  devoted  to  the  object,  he 
felt  it  his  duty  to  encourage  and  support.  He  resolved 
to  make  the  Bible  his  study,  but  to  take  no  sides,  as  it 
were,  with  the  various  religious  denominations,  as  far  as  any 
influence  upon  his  views,  the  facts  and  truths  were  concerned. 
It  may  be  here  told,  that  while  he  finally  joined  the  Pres- 
byterian Church,  he  never  indulged  in  criticisms  upon  other 
churches,  but  saw  good  in  all. 

Jackson  was,  at  this  time,  about  twenty-three  years  of  age, 
and  the  picture  here  given  of  him  shows  a thoughtful  and  kind 
face.  His  early  life  was  not  spent  among  particularly  relig- 
ious people,  and,  while  his  uncle,  Mr.  Cummins  Jackson,  was 
a good  citizen,  we  have  no  account  of  his  being  other  than  a 
man  of  the  world,  even  devoting  considerable  time  to  what 
has,  in  recent  years,  been  called  sport. 

We  all  know  that  Jackson  loved  the  memory  of  his  mother, 
and  to  her,  as  will  be  seen  in  this  book,  is  due  the  real  foun- 
dation that  made  Jackson  the  greatest  Christian  soldier, 
under  all  circumstances,  that  history  gives  an  account  of.  We 
find  him  talking  with  the  Archbishop  of  the  Catholic  Church 
of  Mexico,  introduced  to  him  at  his  request,  by  the  Catholic 
brothers,  with  whom  he  lived.  This  learned  man  talked  with 
Major  Jackson,  as  only  the  distinguished  prelates  of  that  great 
church  can,  upon  matters  belonging  to  their  creed.  The 
Catholic  Church  has  a learned  clergy. 


Story  of  Stone-wall  Jackson. 


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132 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson 


First  Capitol  o|^the  Confederacy. 


Fobey’s  Statue  of  Jackson,  Richmond. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  133 

Jackson  often  spoke  of  the  impression  the  Archbishop  made 
upon  him,  speaking  of  him  as  a man  of  deep  convictions,  and 
an  advocate  of  his  church  possessed  of  great  intellect,  devout- 
ness and  sincerity.  But  he  failed  to  impress  Major  Jackson 
to  the  e.xtent  of  his  uniting  with  him  as  a member  of  his 
church. 

Thus  he  had  been  a listener  to  a devout  and  venerable  Cath- 
olic, and  Colonel  Taylor,  an  Episcopalian.  His  mother  was  a 
jMethodist,  but  he  was  at  the  time  of  her  death  a mere  child, 
and  could  not  therefore  have  remembered  anything  of  the  creed 
of  her  church ; there  can  be  no  doubt,  however,  that  her  in- 
fluence made  Jackson  a Christian. 

A statement  has  been  made  that  his  mother  had  him  bap- 
tized by  a Presbyterian  minister.  Jackson  was  certainly  too 
young  to  be  influenced  by  this  act.  This  is  proven  by  the  fact 
that  while  Jackson  believed  in  infant  baptism,  he  would  not 
have  requested  his  own  baptism  after  he  reached  manhood 
had  he  known  of  his  baptism  when  a baby.  The  Presbyterian 
minister  who  baptized  him  when  in  infancy  was  named  Asa 
Brooks.  This  must  have  been  about  the  year  1825. 

If  accounts  are  correct,  Jackson’s  mother  was  a Methodist, 
that  he  was  baptized  by  a Presbyterian  minister,  that  a good 
and  faithful  Catholic  had  talked  with  him,  and  a personal 
friend  and  officer  in  his  regiment,  Colonel  Taylor,  who  first 
called  Jackson’s  attention  after  manhood  to  his  personal  re- 
ligion, and  who  was  his  spiritual  friend,  was  an  Episcopalian. 

No  doubt  Jackson  examined  other  creeds,  as  his  views  were 
broad,  but  we  have  no  record  of  his  having  done  so. 

The  religious  element  of  Jackson  is  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant of  his  life,  and  it  is  proper  we  should  try  and  find  out 
all  we  can  concerning  his  life’s  course  in  religious  matters. 
It  has  been  said  that  he  was  first  an  Episcopalian.  This 
is  not  entirely  correct.  There  are  facts  connected  with  his 
religious  life  that  are  of  record.  After  the  war  with  Mexico 
had  been  finally  ended  and  the  American  army  withdrawn 
from  Mexico,  Jackson’s  command  was  stationed  at  Eort  Ham- 
ilton on  Long  Island,  just  below  New  York  City.  Col.  Tay- 
lor. who  had  been  his  spiritual  adviser  in  Mexico  was  colonel 


134  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

of  the  Artillery  Regiment  cf  which  Jackson  was  a young 
major.  Their  life  on  that  beautiful  island  gave  Jackson 
ample  time  to  think  upon  the  subject  of  religion.  Rev. 
N4r.  Parks,  who  was  the  Chaplain  of  the  garrison,  was  an 
Episcopalian  and  a friend  of  Jackson’s  at  West  Point.  They 
no  doubt  had  many  conversations  upon  church  matters. 

We  find  this  record  in  the  church  books  where  Jackson 
worshipped  at  Fort  Hamilton  (St.  John’s  Episcopal)  : “On 
Sunday,  29th  day  of  April,  1849,  I baptized  Thomas  Jefferson 
Jackson,  major  in  the  U.  S.  Army.  Sponsors,  Colonels 
Dimick  and  Taylor.  “M.  Schofield.” 

(The  clergyman  mistook  Jackson’s  middle  name  for  that  of 
the  ex-president;  his  middle  name  was  Jonathan,  not  Jeffer- 
son.) R.  E.  Lee  was  a vestryman  of  the  same  church.  Made 
so  in  1842. 

This  baptismal  ceremony  gave  Jackson  the  right  to  become 
a communicant  in  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  this  seemed  to 
have  given  him  comfort,  but  his  mind  was  not  fully  made  up 
to  be  confirmed,  and  therefore,  in  fact,  was  never  a member 
of  the  Episcopal  Church.  This  is  mentioned  to  show  that 
Jackson  was  not  a man  to  be  easily  influenced,  or  changed, 
when  once  convinced  of  being  right.  He  respected  all 
churches,  but  he  was  a member  of  only  one  church — the 
Presbyterian. 

So  much  has  been  said  and  written  about  Jackson  being  a 
member  of  this,  that,  and  the  other  church,  thus  giving  the 
impression  that  he  had  no  fixed  views  of  creed  or  form,  we 
deem  it  most  proper  to  refer  to  these  unfounded  accounts  con- 
cerning him.  We  do  not  intend  to  say  that  there  is  the 
slightest  harm  in  changing  one’s  ideas  of  church  worship,  or  to 
change  from  one  to  another  church;  but,  in  the  case  of  Jack- 
son,  his  being  a character  so  prominent  in  the  world’s  history, 
any  part  of  his  record  affects  the  truth  of  history  and  should, 
as  far  as  possible,  be  strictly  in  keeping  with  the  facts  and 
truth  concerning  him  in  every  respect,  Jackson  was  a friend 
to  all  denominations,  but  was  a member  of  only  one  church. 
He  was  not  a bigot,  one  of  the  most  offensive  of  all  people ; he 
was  a simple  Christian,  and  when  he  joined  the  church  at 


Story  ot'  Stonewall  Jackson.  135 

Lexington,  his  surroundings,  and  the  church  with  which  he 
united  suited  him,  or  we  may  be  assured  he  would  never 
have  joined  that  church. 

He  was  a working  member,  as  active  members  are  called  in 
the  church,  taught  a class  of  negroes  in  the  Sunday-school. 
Some  of  t^iCse  negroes  in  after  years  so  loved  the  memory  of  their 
teacher,  that  they  gave  their  first  momy  towards  raising  a mon- 
ument to  him  at  Lexington.  „ 

When  he  became  a general  of  an  army  he  called  for  minis- 
ters of  all  churches  to  come  and  aid  him  in  winning  the  souls 
of  his  soldiers  to  the  cause  of  Christ.  He  ordered  that  a 
Catholic  priest  be  made  a chaplain,  and  had  a tent  erected  for 
his  use  for  the  ceremony  of  his  religion,  which  required 
more  or  less  privacy  in  the  administration  of  its  worship  and 
services. 

Jackson’s  religion  was  as  broad  and  liberal  as  was  the  love 
of  Christ  for  the  world,  and  no  man  has  lived  who  had  less  of 
littleness,  of  church  or  denominational  egotism  or  bigotry. 
Jackson  was,  if  we  may  be  pardoned  for  using  the  term,  a 
manly  Christian.  He  loved  all  denominations  and  was  happy 
when  he  could  “worship  in  any  church.’’ 

He  was  not  capable  of  taking  his  church  into  account  in  any 
manner  of  circumstance,  except  as  a personal  preference  of  his 
own  pleasure,  and  his  personal  views.  No  one  can  accuse  the 
memory  of  this  humble  man  of  God  of  proselyting  or  urging 
his  soldiers  or  anyone  to  do  more  than  believe  on  the  Lord  and 
pray  to  be  saved  from  their  sins.  There  was  nothing  of  the 
fanatic  or  martinet  about  Jackson. 


CHAPTER  X. 

AFTER  A SHORT  STAY  ON  LONG  ISLAND  IS  ORDERED  TO 
FLORIDA.  RESIGNS  FROM  ARMY  AND  GOES  TO  THE 
V.  M.  I.,  LEXINGTON,  VA. 

Soldiers  never  know  what  is  to  become  of  them  when  they 
get  into  the  army,  and  here  we  find  Jackson  getting  ready  to 
leave  the  precincts  of  the  greatest  city  of  his  country,  New 
York,  to  go  to  the  wilds  of  Florida.  This  was  not  a good 
move  for  him. 

He  was  not  of  a vigorous  constitution,  he  had  worked  hard 
in  the  Mexican  campaign  and  bcjgn  much  exposed  there  in  the 
swamps  for  a while.  Jackson  was  raised  up  in  the  mountains, 
and  mountain  people  never  thrive  in  the  low  lands  near  the 
sea  line,  and  particularly  so  on  the  coast.  He  soon  arranged 
to  get  away  from  the  low  country  of, Florida,  and  finally  re- 
signed from  the  army. 

Remembering  Jackson  was  at  this  time  young  and  famous, 
and  what  all  conceived  to  be  a rising  man  of  great  prominence 
in  the  army ; and  thinking  of  his  strong  partiality  for  military 
life,  and  the  excitement  of  battle,  we  can  sympathize  with  him 
when  we  see  him  turning  his  face  from  his  sword,  putting  his 
hands  against  his  ears  to  keep  out  the  sounds  of  battle,  and 
tossing  fame  to  the  winds. 

There  is  so  much  of  the  romance  in  the  life  of  the  calm, 
brave  young  soldier,  so  much  of  sadness,  lessons  of  sub- 
mission, that  to  read  of  him  gives  us  strength.  His  conquer- 
ing disappointments  and  ambitious  emotions  was  magnificent. 
Here  we  find  him,  because  of  ill-health,  turning  from  the  hopes 
of  his  life  to  become  a great  general ; and  without  experience 
in  any  other  occupation  than  the  art  of  war,  he  was  to  battle 
now  with  commonplace  things  of  the  world.  Like  Caesar,  “His 
fame  had  gone  before  him”  and  he  was  soon  offered  a position 
of  honor,  which  he  accepted.  For  the  present,  good-bye  to  the 

soldier. 

136 


Story  of  ,Stonewall  Jackson.  137 

On  the  shores  of  the  balmy  Gulf  of  Mexico  near  Tampa 
Bay,  at  Fort  Meade,  in  the  fall  of  1850  and  up  to  February, 
1851,  our  hero  was  a soldier  in  Florida.  The  diligent  habits 
of  a nature  like  Jackson’s  can  not  endure  the  idleness  of  camp- 
life,  or  what  is  generally  called  barracks-life.  True,  Florida 
is  a charming  location  for  the  winter,  and  the  Seminole  Indians 
were  yet  in  hostile  condition,  but  there  was  little  for  an  artil- 
lery officer  to  do  but  to  walk,  read,  sleep  and  talk.  Jackson 
was  a man  who  loved  movement,  to  be  busy  doing  something 
of  direct  result,  and  he  could  not  endure  the  ennui  and  con- 
finement; this,  with  his  poor  health,  caused  him  to  accept 
the  position  referred  to  in  the  previous  paragraph. 

From  Florida  he  wrote  Colonel  Francis  H.  Smith,  Superin- 
tendent of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute,  February  25,  1851  : 
“Though  strong  ties  bind  me  to  the  army,  yet  I can  not  con- 
sent to  decline  so  flattering  an  offer.”  On  the  28th  of  the 
next  month  he  was  elected  professor  of  Artillery  Tactics, 
Natural  and  Experimental  Philosophy,  at  the  Virginia  Mil- 
itary Institute,  Lexington. 

Other  names  had  been  submitted  to  the  Board  by  the  Fac- 
ulty of  West  Point,  all  men  of  high  standing  for  ability  and 
service  in  the  army,  McClellan,  Reno,  Rosecrans,  who  after- 
wards were  generals  in  the  army  of  the  Invaders,  and  General 
G.  W.  Smith,  of  the  Defenders.  So  Jackson  had  strong  com- 
petitors, but  he  won  the  prize. 

Jackson  did  not  wish  to  give  up  his  military  life  entirely, 
but  he  said  to  a friend  afterwards  that  camp-life,  when  no  war 
was  in  progress,  was  not  the  kind  of  military  life  he  wished 
to  lead,  and  his  health  was  not  such  as  allowed  idleness.  He 
said  also  that  teaching  would  keep  his  mind  fresh,  and  improve 
it  while  he  was  teaching.  He  possessed  a natural  fondness  for 
learning  and  books. 

The  Virginia  Military  Institute,  at  Lexington,  was  some- 
thing like  the  United  States  Military  Academy  at  West  Point, 
and  this  was  very  congenial  to  him.  Then,  too,  the  position 
as  professor  was  respectable ; and  while  not  very  profitable  in 
way  of  remuneration — he  only  received  twelve  hundred  a year 


138  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

and  a residence  house,  free  of  rent — yet  there  were  many  con- 
siderations of  more  importance  than  salary  and  income. 

The  location  of  this  Institute  was,  in  every  way,  ideal  to 
him.  Lexington  is  in  the  midst  of  the  Blue  Ridge  mountains, 
and  he  was  a mountaineer.  The  scenery  was  at  all  times  at- 
tractive, and  the  society  was  famous  throughout  the  country, 
Lexington  having  both  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  and  the 
Washington  College,  now  the  Washington  and  Lee  Univer- 
sity. 

As  a profession,  Jackson,  had  he  be  enable  to  direct  his 
choice  of  selection  would  have  preferred  some  other  occupa- 
tion to  that  of  teaching.  He  was  not  a teacher  “after  the  man- 
or-born,” but  teaching,  like  everything  else,  required  of  him 
sacrifices  and  a strict  adherence  to  obligation  or  duty,  and  im- 
posed upon  him  diligence  and  untiring  attention  to  accom- 
plish results  worthy  of  him. 

He  possessed  an  original,  strong  and  active  mind,  there- 
fore did  not  possess  the  tact  necessary  to  meet  the  require- 
ments of  teaching,  at  least,  not  with  the  same  degree  of  satis- 
faction, even  to  himself,  that  others,  whose  training  and  nat- 
ural qualifications  fitted  them  to  enjoy.  But  what  he  lacked 
in  tact,  he  amply  made  up  in  honest,  faithful  work,  and  all 
who  knew  him  gave  him  the  credit  for  earnestness,  exalted 
character,  an  example  of  great  value  to  his  students. 

In  one  of  the  most  important  parts  of  education — example — 
no  student  who  sat  before  Jackson  in  his  lecture  room,  during 
the  ten  years  he  instructed  at  the  V.  M.  I.  (and  hundreds 
were  there  during  this  period)  failed  to  see  in  Jackson,  a man 
whom  to  imitate  and  to  emulate,  would  add  to  their  place  and 
strength  in  life. 

Jackson’s  personal  character  was  absolutely  without  blem- 
ish. His  habits  were  of  the  manliest  that  Puritan  could  wish  ; 
his  honor  clean,  and  his  courage  superlative;  while  as  a gen- 
tleman in  expression  and  action,  he  had  no  superior. 

To  himself  he  was  true,  and,  while  never  canting  or  criti- 
cising indiscretions  or  laxity  or  idle  habit  of  speech  or  deed 
in  others,  he  walked  in  his  own  way  by  lights  that  no  man 
could  bedim.  He  was  strong  in  his  individuality,  so  much  so, 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


139 


that  he  won  a reputation  for  eccentricity  that  has  become  a 
part  of  history,  and  to  which  reference  will  be  made  in  this 
book,  as  many  errors  exist  concerning  this  gratuitous  enlarge- 
ment upon  slight,  if  any  cause. 

He  would  not  drink  alcoholic  beverages ; he  would  not  use 
tobacco  in  any  form  ; he  was  never  known  to  be  profane  ; he 
would  not  associate  with  unworthy  persons,  or  tolerate  un- 
cleanliness. 

Referring  again  to  his  teaching,  we  are  told  by  men  who 
were  under  him,  both  as  students  and  soldiers,  that  he  taught 
something  lifle  he  fought — direct,  exact  and  vigorous.  He 
toofl  the  student  to  the  subject  by  methods  of  his  own,  and 
these  methods  were  not  always  popular  with  students  who 
were  inclined  to  loiter  and  slight  their  studies.  He  seemed 
unable  to  impart  that  peculiar  aid  the  average  student  needs 
at  times.  When  examinations  were  made,  however,  he  ex- 
hibited excellent  ability  and,  while  just,  was  exacting.  Many 
men  in  after  years  were  grateful  to  him  for  his  strict  system. 

Jackson  had  weak  eyes  and  could,  or  would  not,  use  them 
at  night.  He  would  study  and  prepare  his  lectures  for  his 
classes  during  the  day ; and  if  their  consideration  required  his 
attention  after  lamplight  he  would  draw  himself  away  from 
any  persons  present,  although  they  were  in  the  same  room 
with  him,  and  conversing  among  themselves,  would  close  his 
eyes  and  go  deliberately  over  all  the  reading  he  had  done  that 
day,  and  proceed  to  digest  and  fix  the  lesson  in  his  mind.  Pity 
he  could  not  prevail  upon  his  students  to  do  the  same  thing ; 
doubtless  there  would  have  been  less  complaint  and  criticism 
on  their  part  upon  his  mode  of  teaching. 

When  he  had  completed  the  task  for  the  evening,  the  pro- 
cess of  studying,  he  would  return  to  the  company  present  and 
be  one  pf  them  and  join  in  all  of  the  amusements,  and  if  he 
thought  any  more  of  the  lessons,  no  one  could  detect  such  ab- 
straction. By  this  capacity  of  Jackson’s  to  concentrate  his 
whole  and  entire  attention  upon  a given  subject,  with  utter  in- 
difference to  his  surroundings,  ordinary  conversation,  noise  or 
confusion,  clearly  demonstrates  the  rigid  control  he  exercised 
over  the  operations  of  his  mind  as  well  as  control  of  anything 


140  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

bordering  upon  physical  nervousness.  He  controlled  his  nerves 
and  they  seemed  to  obey  him  as  the  muscles  obey  us  by  natural 
law.  When  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Manassas,  he  controlled 
every  physical  pain  and  kept  his  mind  clear  until  all  details 
of  the  battle  were  completed,  and  that  night  wrote  with  his  un- 
injured hand  a letter  to  his  pastor  at  Lexington  in  which  he 
made  no  allusion  to  the  victory  of  the  day,  but  sent  him  a 
check  for  fifty  dollars  to  be  applied  to  the  expenses  of  his 
negro  Sunday-school. 

It  may  do  the  lad  or  lass  who  may  chance  to  read  this  book, 
a great  deal  of  service  to  remember  that  Jackson  studied  as 
carefully  as  if  his  life  depended  upon  it  almost,  and  his 
mind  never  left  his  book  until  he  k7iexv  what  the  lesson  meant. 
Few  people  have  lived  before*  or  since  Jackson  who  had  a 
slower  mind,  or  a stronger  one  to  contend  with.  Slow,  he 
had  to  work  slow,  strong,  he  had  to  contrpl  it  and  leave  imag- 
ination out.  He  clung  to  the  text,  the  lesson.  This  plan 
would  not  be  accepted  in  this  busy  day. 

After  he  had  been  there  some  time  and  his  health  and  eyes, 
which  had  troubled  him  considerably  at  first,  were  much  im- 
proved, a friend  asked  him  if  he  thought  he  had  acted  right 
to  accept  the  position  when  he  knew  he  was  not  physically 
able  to  fill  it?  He  replied,  “ Not  in  the  least,  the  appoint- 
ment came  unsolicited  and  was  therefore  providential ; and  I 
know  if  Providence  set  me  a task  He  would  give  me  power  to 
perform  it.  So  I resolved  to  get  well,  and  you  see  I have. 
As  to  the  rest,  I knew  what  I willed  to  do,  I could  do.” 

After  he  had  been  at  Lexington  a while  he  wrote  his  uncle, 
Mr.  Neale,  that  he  was  delighted  with  his  duties,  with  Lex- 
ington and  the  people.  He  was  at  the  time  of  writing  at 
Warm  Springs,  Virginia,  accompanying  some  cadets.  Earlier 
in  the  season  he  had  been  to  Lake  Ontario  and  his  health  had 
improved. 

In  November,  1851,  during  the  fall  of  his  first  year  at  the 
V.  M.  I.  he  united  with  the  Presbyterian  Church  under  the 
pastor.  Dr.  William  S.  White.  It  has  been  said  that  he  be- 
came a Presbyterian  because  of  his  marriage ; this  is  not  cor- 
rect. He  liked  the  form  of  worship  and  other  matters  con- 


f 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  141 

nected  with  the  church.  He  was  not  married  at  the  time 
he  joined  the  church.  The  pastor  was  so  impressed  with 
Jackson’s  purity  and  uprightness  that  he  allowed  him  to  com- 
mune with  the  congregation  before  he  joined  the  church. 

This  remarkable  departure  or  dispensation  is  more  note- 
worthy because  of  the  fact  that  the  character  of  Jackson  must 
have  been  extraordinary,  as  he  was  not  only  permitted  to  com- 
mune in  this  church  before  becoming  a member,  but  while  on 
Long  Island  he  was  allowed  to  commune  in  the  Episcopal 
Church  of  which  he  was  not  a member. 

He  was  elected  a deacon,  some  have  said  an  elder,  but  he 
never  held  any  higher  position  than  that  of  deacon.  The  pas- 
tor said  he  was  the  best  deacon  the  church  ever  had.  He  “re- 
ported” to  the  pastor  as  he  would  to  a general.  He  was  at 
all  meetings  of  the  church.  Once  he  told  the  pastor,  “I  can 
not  see  how,  at  that  hour,  we  can  possibly  lack  time  for  this 
meeting,  or  can  have  time  for  anything  else,  seeing  it  is  set 
apart  tor  this  business.” 

He  looked  upon  the  pastor  as  an  adviser  and  father,  and 
was  always  confidential  with  him.  Jackson  said  that  had 
he  been  educated  for  the  ministry,  he  would  have  followed 
the  calling ; also  adding,  provided  he  could  learn  to  speak 
in  public.  He  once  wrote  his  aunt,  Mrs.  Neale;  “The 
thought  of  becoming  a herald  of  the  cross  has  often  serious- 
ly engaged  my  attention.  I regard  it  as  the  most  noble  of  all 
professions.” 

About  1854  there  was  a vacancy  in  the  chair  of  mathemat- 
ics at  the  University  of  Virginia,  then,  as  now,  one  of  the 
most  learned  and  useful  institutions  in  America  and  the 
world,  for  that  matter.  Jackson  applied  for  the  position  en- 
dorsed in  the  very  strongest  way,  but  missed  it ; the  board 
naturally  deciding  in  favor  of  one  of  the  alumni  of  the  Uni- 
versity. 

A friend  asked  Jackson,  when  he  heard  that  he  was  going 
away  from  a military  school  (this  was  about  the  time  his 
name  was  used  in  connection  with  the  University  of  Vir- 
ginia), and  therefore  was  departing  from  military  lines 
“Have  you  not  departed  from  what  you  told  me,  upon  com- 


142 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


ing  to  this  military  school,  was  the  purpose  of  your  life?”  He 
referred  to  Jackson’s  having  told  him  that  the  army  and  war 
was  his  proper  vocation. 

Jackson  never  forgot  any  remark,  matters  not  how  trivial, 
and  he  replied  promptly,  “I  avow  that  my  views  have 
changed.”  Continuing,  be  said,  that  unless  God  willed  it,  he 
would  not  again  enter  arms.  He  added  there  and  then,  if  his 
country  was  assailed,  he  would  with  God’s  blessing  on  his 
conviction  that  his  country  was  being  invaded,  take  up  his 
sword  and  fight  to  the  finish.  But  unless  this  happened,  he 
would  remain  a private  citizen.  Jackson  saw  the  war  com- 
ing. He  was  a man  of  deep  penetration,  a student  of  men 
and  affairs,  a statesman,  in  fact,  and  his  rating  in  his  class  at 
graduation  being  fifth  in  ethics,  as  we  have  before  stated, 
gave  evidence  of  his  abilities  in  this  direction — statesmanship. 
He  was  reticent;  he  understood  how  to  keep  a still  tongue. 

During  the  same  conversation,  he  said  that  he  considered 
it  a man’s  duty  to  cultivate  his  powers  to  their  fullest  capac- 
ity, and  enter  upon  the  widest  sphere  within  his  reach  ; there- 
fore he  sought  the  University  of  Virginia;  though  Jackson 
was  disappointed,  the  Uni\ersity  was  honored  by  his  applica- 
tion, and  officials  refer  to  it  with  pride  to  this  day. 

In  the  autumn  of  1855  he  organized  a Sunday-school  class 
for  negroes  “His  interest  in  this  race  was  in  behalf  of  their 
souls,”  says  his  wife.  He  never  neglected  this  Sunday-school 
work  and  continued  in  it  until  he  left  Lexington  at  the  out- 
break of  the  war.  Many  ladies  and  gentlemen  of  the  town 
aided  in  this  missionary  work.  Mrs.  Jackson  writes  that 
when  she  moved  to  Lexington,  she  proposed  to  take  a class  of 
white  children,  but  he  asked  her  to  work  in  his  negro  Sunday- 
school,  which,  of  course  she  consented  to  do,  and  adds  that 
she  never  saw  her  husband  look  more  earnest  than  when  tell- 
ing these  poor  people  the  story  of  the  cross. 

Jackson  devoted  considerable  time  to  the  spiritual  well- 
being of  the  negroes,  and  he  taught  them  many  lessons  that 
bore  fruit  in  their  lives  as  well  as  those  of  their  descendants. 
He  made  them  feel  as  if  they  were  a part  of  the  human  fam- 
ily ; and  his  humane  treatment  marks  a moral  which  some  of 


Story  or  Stonewall  Jackson.  143 

the  Abolitionists  would  have  done  well  to  have  studied.  We 
have  referred  to  the  incident  in  which  he,  on  the  evening  of 
his  greatest  battle — the  day  on  which  he  won  the  name  of 
Stonewall,  he  sent  money  to  Rev.  Dr.  White,  the  pastor  at 
Lexington,  for  this  negro  Sunday-school.  And  upon  another 
occasion,  he  wrote  from  the  battle-field  concerning  the  burial 
of  his  old  house  servant,  a negro,  and  sent  money  to  defray  ex- 
penses. 

It  would  seem  difficult  for  any  one,  even  those  fanatics  who 
then  did  not  own  a slave,  and  who  knew  nothing  of  the  negro, 
and  whose  zeal  in  their  behalf,  was  a mere  cloak  to  cover 
their  hatred  for  the  South,  to  think  of  this  noble  man  without 
feelings  of  the  tenderest  nature;  truly  was  he  a child  of  God. 
The  interest  Jackson  took  in  the  negro  and  his  treatment  of 
him  certainly  proves  to  the  bitterest  of  the  sensational  war 
makers,  who  thought  nothing  good  could  come  out  of  the 
South,  that  their  over-wrought  imagination  led  them  into  ex- 
treme error.  They  must  confess  that  one  of  the  greatest  lead- 
ers and  generals  in  the  army  of  the  Defenders  was  not  fight- 
ing for  the  preservation  of  slavery,  but  for  independence.  He 
was  not  less  a Christian  because  his  countiy,  governed  by  the 
same  constitution  that  made  it  possible  for  slavery  to  exist  in 
the  United  States,  and  in  the  economy  and  conduct  of  his  do- 
mestic affairs,  as  well  as  his  public  relationship  as  a citizen, 
he  was  a lawful  owner  of  slave  property.  He  was  not  less  a 
Christian  than  those  of  colder  latitudes  of  the  same  country. 

The  much  criticised  inscription  upon  the  “coin  of  the 
realm,”  to-wit : “In  God  we  trust,”  there  placed  for  the  first 
time  in  1865,  whether  or  not  intended  as  a recognition  of 
Divine  interference  in  the  “Civil  War,”  originated  likely  in  a 
somewhat  exulting  rebuke  to  the  South,  but  is  scorned  by  over- 
whelming victories  of  Jackson.  This  David,  who  won  every 
battle,  fighting  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  under  His  care,  with 
such  overwhelming  success,  that  he  was  believed  to  be  in. 
spired,  would  have  made  it  impossible  for  this  inscription  to 
have  appeared  on  the  booty  of  politics,  had  he  lived.  His 
trust  in  God  required  no  monetary  sacrilege.  He  rendered  to 
Caesar  the  things  that  are  Caesar’s. 


144  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

He  had  a habit  which  he  kept  strictly  and  that  was  to  neg- 
lect no  part  of  a fixed  rule.  He  said  to  do  this  was  to  neglect, 
and  he  would  neglect  nothing.  Once  he  formed  a decision  and 
felt  that  he  was  right,  public  criticism  or  private  opinion  of 
others  could  not  move  him.  He  was  thoroughly  independent 
in  his  ways  and  cared  nothing  for  what  public  opinion  might 
be  if  he  felt  that  he  was  right.  He  knew  no  fear,  but  the  fear 
of  the  Lord. 

He  would  not  criticise  any  one’s  views  but  would  say 
pleasantly,  when  twitted  or  teased  about  his  views  or  actions, 
“Well,  I know  it  is  not  wrong  not  to  do  it,  so  lam  going  to 
be  on  the  safe  side.”  His  religion  shed  sunshine  over  his  life 
and  he  was  never  gloomy. 

Upon  borrowing  the  key  to  the  library  of  the  V.  M.  I.,  he 
promised  to  return  the  key  within  a given  time.  Absorbed 
in  the  subject,  he  had  gone  to  the  library  to  investigate.  Upon 
leaving  the  building,  he  went  twice  to  his  home,  forgetting 
his  promise  to  return  the  key  at  a certain  time.  A heavy  rain 
came  up,  but  he  immediately  returned  to  the  home  of  the  li- 
brarian, a distance  of  over  a mile,  though  the  rain  continued, 
and  returned  the  key.  The  librarian  reminded  him  of  the  in- 
clemency of  the  evening,  which  prevented  any  possibility  of 
cadets  or  others  using  the  library,  and  therefore,  the  trip  to 
teturn  the  keys  was  unnecessary,  but  Jackson  thanked  him 
and  remarked  that  he  forgot  to  return  the  key,  being  absorbed, 
and  regretted  any  delay. 

During  an  afternoon  artillery  drill,  a heavy  rain  came  on 
and  the  cadets  ran  out  of  the  downpour,  but  Jackson  remained 
on  the  drill  ground  in  the  storm,  until  the  moment  arrived, 
when  the  drill  by  the  regulation  of  the  Institute,  should  end, 
and  with  his  usual  formality  and  promptness,  he  proceeded  to 
the  office  of  the  superintendent  and  reported  the  drill  as 
though  nothing  uncommon  had  happened.  He  was  drenched 
by  the  rain  but  he  obeyed  the  rules  to  the  letter. 

It  is  related  that  the  cadets  played  many  tricks  upon  him, 
and  elsewhere  in  this  book  a few  of  their  pranks  are  referred 
to.  In  this  connection  it  is  well  to  correct  here,  a story  that  has 
gained  circulation,  that  Jackson  was  once  made  to  climb  the 


JACKSON  AS  MAJ.  U.  S.  ARMY, 
at  Age  of  24. 

(From  Photo  of  a Daguerreotype.) 


► t 


Presbvterian  Church  and  Sunday-School  Room 
Lexington,  Va. 


Jackson’s  Residence,  Lexington. 

(The  illustration  from  a Photograph  taken  sometime  ago, 
shows  house  in  dilapidated  condition.) 


(9) 


Jackson  Memorial  Building  at  Virginia  Military  Institute. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  i^g 

side  of  a zcall  to  reach  the  class-room,  because  the  cadets  had 
moved  the  stairway  leading  to  the  lecture-room.  It  is  true 
these  steps  were  moved  by  the  mischievous  cadets,  but  this  did 
not  inconvenience  Jackson,  as  he  was  at  the  time  up  in  the 
class-room,  and  when  the  time  came  for  him  to  leave,  upon 
- arriving  at  the  stairway  landing,  he  simply  jumped  down  the 
opening  and  completely  turned  the  joke  on  the  boys  who  were 
compelled,  much  to  their  inconvenience  and  chagrin,  to  re- 
place the  stairway. 

All  who  knew  Jackson  noticed  his  direct  manner  of  walk- 
ing, and  of  his  never  turning  his  head  to  the  right  or  left,  but 
looking  straight  ahead.  Frequently  the  cadets  would  try  to 
cause  him  to  dodge  by  throwing  a ball  near  his  head  as  he 
walked  by  their  ball  games,  but  he  was  never  known  to  dodge. 
A singular  fact  is  here  to  be  noticed  in  regard  to  this  rigid 
manner  in  which  Jackson  carried  himself.  He  was  never 
known  to  fail  to  greet  an  acquaintance  or  salute  any  lady  he 
might  meet  by  lifting  his  cap,  and  some  of  the  cadets  aver  that 
he  ‘“had  eyes  all  around  his  head.” 

There  was  something  about  Jackson  that  impressed  all  with 
a feeling  of  being  in  the  presence  of  an  extraordinary  person. 
Even  at  West  Point  when  men  like  Maury,  McClelland,  Hill, 
and  others,  tried  to  persuade  themselves  that  Jackson  was  a 
youth  of  shallowness  and  conceit,  they  were  compelled  to  con- 
fess to  themselves  and  to  others  as  well,  that  he  was  no  or- 
dinary person,  that  had  he  been  prepared  when  he  entered 
the  Academy,  or  if  the  rules  would  have  allowed  him  another 
year,  he  would  have  ranked  number  one  in  his  class.  The 
cadets  at  Lexington  delighted  in  mimicking  him  in  his  style 
and  tone  of  voice,  in  giving  orders,  something  after  the  old 
West  Point  manner,  a kind  of  long  drawl  or  sing-song.  On 
one  occasion  the  cadets  decided  to  have  the  drill-master  imi- 
tate him. 

He  had  to  repeat  the  Major’s  orders,  and  in  doing  so,  imi- 
tated both  voice  and  deliberate  accents.  When  the  drill  was 
over  one  of  the  cadet-officers  in  the  presence  of  a crowd  of 
cadets  said  : “Major,  what  do  you  think  of  the  drill  this  after- 
noon, sir?”  Jackson  replied.  “Very  much,  sir,”  then  smil- 
ing, said,  “The  officers  gave  very  fine  commands.”  Thus 
turning  the  joke  on  the  cadets. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


MARRIAGE.  HIS  FIRST  EFFORTS  AT  PUBLIC  PRAYER.  COM- 
PARED TO  FAMOUS  CHRISTIAN  SOLDIERS. 

On  August  Jackson  married  Miss  Elinor  Junkin, 

the  daughter  of  the  President  of  the  Washington  College,  now 
known  as  the  Washington  and  Lee  University.  She  was  a 
lady  of  many  virtues  and  was  much  beloved,  being  possessed 
of  an  unusual  degree  of  intelligence,  amiable  disposition,  and 
a devout  Christian  character.  She  was  a most  congenial  com- 
panion of  her  worthy  husband. 

In  less  than  fifteen  months  the  young  wife  died.  To  a man 
like  Jackson  the  bereavement  was  severe,  but  with  his  charac- 
teristic submission,  he  sustained  the  stroke  without  a murmur. 
For  a long  while  after  the  death  of  his  wife,  he  never  permitted 
a day  to  pass  without  a visit  to  her  grave  and  there  offered  up 
prayer.  He  made  the  following  notes  in  a journal  he  kept  at 
that  time  : “Objects  to  be  effected  by  Elbe’s  death  ; To  eradi- 
cate ambition,  to  eradicate  resentment,  to  produce  humility. 
If  you  desire  to  be  more  heavenly-minded,  think  more  of  the 
things  of  heaven  and  less  of  the  things  of  earth.” 

One  of  his  favorite  texts  frequently  quoted  by  him  was  : 
“We  know  that  all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them 
that  love  God.” 

The  following  is  related  to  illustrate  that  humility  and  de- 
vout purpose  exhibited  in  his  first  experience  in  praying 
at  a public  prayer-meeting.  Soon  after  he  had  joined  the 
church  at  Lexington,  the  pastor  talked  with  the  congrega- 
tion upon  the  subject  of  the  members  attending  weekly 
meetings  of  the  church,  and  requested  greater  regularity. 
This  was  enough  for  Jackson.  As  has  been  related,  he 
had  only  to  be  reminded  that  any  certain  thing  required 
of  him,  compelled  his  response,  as  a matter  of  duty,  and 
he  was  ready  to  act.  Among  other  matters  discussed  by 
the  pastor,  was  the  admonishing  of  the  members  to  lead  in 

praver  A short  time  after  the  occasion  above  referred  to, 
150 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  151 

the  pastor  received  a call  from  Jackson,  who  informed  him 
that,  although  he  had  never  spoken  in  public  or  attempted  to 
pray  in  public,  he  would,  if  the  pastor  thought  he  should,  try 
to  pray  at  the  meeting  when  called  upon. 

One  evening  the  pastor  called  upon  him  to  lead  in  prayer 
and  the  struggle  of  the  young  member,  unaccustomed  as  he 
was,  to  anything  like  praying  or  speaking  in  public,  was  so 
painful,  that  all  present  sympathized  with  him.  He  made  a 
failure  of  his  first  effort.  Noticing  that  the  pastor  did  not 
call  for  him  again,  after  several  weeks  he  sought  the  pastor, 
and  told  him  he  should  not  allow  any  personal  feelings  of 
sympathy  for  him  to  prevent  his  calling  on  him  to  pray.  This 
courage — for  it  requires  courage  to  submit  one’s  personal  em- 
barrassments— inspired  the  faithful  preacher  and  he  again 
called  on  Jackson. 

The  second  attempt  was  more  successful,  and  after  time, 
Jackson’s  prayers  were  as  free  from  anything  like  “fright” 
as  if  he  was  praying  with  his  own  little  household  alone. 
Thus  he  overcame  all  shame  or  personal  pride,  and  learned  to 
speak  before  hosts  in  the  field  of  battle,  and  pray  while  the 
cannons  of  the  Invaders  were  hurling  their  deadly  insults  to 
this  humble  Christian,  Jackson  always  did  his  duty  to  God 
and  man. 

It  will  take  more  than  a Swinton  (the  so-called  historian) 
to  remove  from  the  ornaments  of  the  world  the  religious 
beauty  of  “Stonewall  Jackson.”  We  know  of  rude,  rough 
men  all  over  the  South,  whose  family  worship  began  after  the 
war.  We  know  of  men  everywhere  who  never  knew  God,  or 
how  to  pray,  until  they  had  been  with  “Stonewall  Jackson” 
and  heard  him.  We  heard  a distinguished  Northern  minister 
once  say,  “To  God  be  given  the  eternal  praise  for  such  a man 
as  Jackson !” 

His  soldiers  used  to  say  “when  Jackson  aint  fighting,  he  is 
praying.”  Cromwell’s  Roundheads,  as  they  were  called, 
had  an  expression,  “Oh,  how  good  it  is  to  pray  and  fight.” 
This  was  not  Jackson’s  view  of  either  prayer  or  fighting.  No 
man  who  does  not  feel  deeply,  away  down  in  his  heart,  the 
same  love  for  God  that  a child  does  for  its  parents,  can  enter 


152  Story  of  Stonewatl  jAcksoN. 

into  the  feelings  of  Jackson  on  prayer.  No  man  who  has 
never  fought  for  his  home  and  fireside,  as  he  would  fight  for 
his  wife,  mother,  sister  or  sweetheart,  can  realize  what  fight- 
ing meant  to  Jackson. 

Jackson  has  been  frequently  compared  to  Cromwell  and 
Havelock,  also  Harrison,  Pride,  Charlemagne,  and  others.  He 
did  not  have  the  fanatical  ideas  of  Cromwell  and  was  entirely 
free  from  that  selfish  ambition  which  has  clouded  Cromwell’s 
memory.  Ambition  is  often  cloaked  under  the  guise  of  re- 
ligion, and  religion  has  been  used  by  many  to  affect  means 
wholly  lacking  the  imprint  of  godliness.  He  had  none  of  the 
bitterness  and  overbearing  tyranny  of  Cromwell.  He  may 
have  been  ambitious  in  his  youth,  and  as  a man  who  recog- 
nized the  forces  within  him,  doubtless  felt  that  should  occa- 
sion require  the  exercise  of  those  forces,  the  world  would  hear 
of  them.  He  is  on  record  as  resigning  from  the  army  because 
he  did  not  care  to  waste  his  time  in  barrack-life ; he  therefore, 
could  not  have  been  especially  ambitious  in  a military  way. 

He  is  also  on  record  as  having  taken  a professorship  at  the 
Virginia  Military  Institute,  not  because  of  any  special  aspi- 
ration, but  from  a desire  to  make  his  life  useful.  When  an 
occasion  arose  where  he  thought  his  services  could  be  utilized 
in  a wider  field  educationally,  he  applied  for  the  position  in 
the  University  of  Virginia.  He  was  a statesman,  but  his  ex- 
treme modesty  prevented  his  employing  the  methods  usually 
considered  necessary  among  politicians  to  gain  notoriety,  or 
even  recognition,  and  he  did  not  attempt  to  develop  this  ele- 
ment of  his  native  ability.  When  occasion  arose  and  after 
watching  events  at  Washington,  and  realizing  that  the  John 
Brown  raid  was  nothing  more  or  less  than  a premature  explo- 
sion of  the  mischievous  oligarchy,  then  a festering,  political 
fire-damp,  his  mind  was  made  up,  and  the  mightiest  efforts  of 
his  life  he  resolved,  should  draw  to  them  every  force  within 
his  being,  to  resent  the  most  diabolical  affront  ever  offered  in 
history.  If  this  be  ambition,  then  Jackson  was  ambitious. 

To  compare  him  to  Havelock  is  merely  to  compare  him  to 
any  man  of  bravery  and  energy,  for  they  differed  extremely 
in  their  lives  and  spiritual  history,  as  far  as  we  have  any  ac- 


Story  of  Stoxewall  Jackson. 


153 


count.  Havelock  lived  in  a day  differing  widely  in  many  re- 
spects from  that  of  Jackson  ; but  epochs  are  made  by  men,  as 
we  read  them,  and  men  are  not  made  by  epochs.  Havelock 
left  his  impress  upon  history,  and  Jackson,  his.  Their  records 
are  open  to  the  world,  read  them,  and  find  if  Jackson’s  shows 
the  marks  of  Havelock’s  imperial  attitude  toward  Almighty 
God. 

Both  Cromwell  and  Havelock  were  men  of  religious  habits 
and  left  deep  and  lasting  historical  impressions,  but  Jackson 
should  not  be  compared  to  them  as  an  entirety.  His  religion 
was  more  the  type  of  Hampden.  Sincerity  was  Jackson’s 
grand  characteristic;  humility  and  simplicity,  his  ruling  na- 
ture. Like  Charlemagne,  he  would  benefit  the  world  through 
publishing  and  writing,  and,  as  will  be  seen  elsewhere  in  his 
book,  had  he  been  spared  to  the  usual  course  or  span  of  life, 
he  would  have  established  a daily  religious  paper,  and  in  the 
desire,  was  like  Charlemagne,  who  over  a thousand  years  be- 
fore the  time  of  Jackson,  published  the  Capitularies,  a collec- 
tion of  ecclesiastical  regulations,  which  at  that  time  was  a 
task  worthy  of  any  king,  and  benefitted  the  world  as  few 
kings  and  soldiers  have  done.  Washington  is  said  to  have  been 
ambitious,  but  he  was  magnanimous  and  put  self  behind  him ; 
Jackson  did  all  of  this,  and  if  he  had  ambition  it  was  certain- 
ly not  of  the  Cromwell  type,  for  he  crucified  it  that  he  might 
'not  forget  his  God.  He  loved  the  excitement  of  battle ; he 
knew  no  battles  but  those  of  victory,  and  in  all  of  these  vic- 
tories he  gave  the  praise  to  God. 

Unlike  ambitious  men,  as  considered  in  connection  with 
Jackson,  he  lifted  up  everything  he  put  his  hands  to.  As  a 
lad,  he  was  a country  constable  and  dignified  the  position ; in 
the  Mexican  war  he  taught  men  to  stand  by  their  guns,  him- 
self working  one  in  the  face  of  deadly  fire.  As  a college  pro- 
fessor, he  added  fame  to  an  institution  in  his  day,  the  “West 
Point”  of  the  South  of  which  the  whole  South  is  proud;  he 
took  an  interest  in  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  negroes  and 
lifted  them  up,  and  all  over  the  land  this  race  reveres  the 
name  of  Jackson. 

Jackson  honored  the  church  with  which  his  name  is  con- 


154  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

nected.  We  have  heard  him  spoken  of  as  a Methodist,  Epis- 
copalian, Catholic  and  Presbyterian  ; he  respected  all  these  dif- 
ferent denominations  and  in  fact  he  attended  their  services  at 
times;  also  Baptists  and  Lutherans  and  always  was  friendly; 
but  the  fact  that  so  many  different  denominations  lay  claim  to 
him,  shows  that  his  name  is  worthy  of  any  church.  Certainly 
his  people,  the  Presbyterians,  are  proud  of  him. 

We  know  ministers  who  never  fail  to  introduce  Jackson 
into  their  sermons  or  prayers  each  Sabbath,  to  illustrate  some 
of  the  most  powerful  lessons  of  a religious  life.  His  name  is 
sounded  in  many  humble  homes  from  those  away  up  in  the 
mountain  passes  of  his  native  county,  down  to  the  sandy 
wastes  and  pine-sung  lands  of  the  Florida  peninsula.  Children 
everywhere  are  told  to  be  like  “Stonewall”  Jackson. 

When  he  is  compared  to  Harrison,  Pride  and  others,  re- 
member that  in  Jackson  there  was  positively  nothing  of  the 
martinet,  he  did  not  presume  to  preach  or  insist  upon  any 
forced  religious  services  in  his  camp ; except  to  announce  as 
he  always  did,  that  there  would  be  public  thanksgiving  on  a 
certain  day  to  Almighty  God  for  having  blessed  the  army  with 
victory.  A hard  heart  indeed  would  a soldier  carry  who 
would  not  come  to  give  thanks  to  God  for  delivering  him  in 
battle.  But  he  did  not  attempt  to  coerce  the  army  or  in  any 
degree,  cause  the  soldiers  to  complain  of  his  thrusting  relig- 
ious ceremonies  upon  them. 

Earnestness  was  strongly  developed  in  his  nature.  As  the 
boys  say,  he  was  always  “in  dead  earnest,”  and  always  meant 
what  he  said.  Col.  Reid,  a friend  of  his,  whilst  riding  with 
him  near  Lexington,  threatened  to  put  a keg  of  powder  under 
a cabin  and  blow  some  negroes  up  for  leaving  his  fences  down. 
After  leaving  the  darkies  Jackson  turned  to  him  and  said, 
“Colonel,  were  you  in  earnest  about  blowing  those  people 
up?”  The  Colonel  confessed  to  an  extravagance  of  language 
that  Jackson  was  a stranger  to. 

Rev.  James  Power  Smith,  of  Richmond,  who  was  on  Jack- 
son’s staff  and  with  him  when  he  was  wounded  at  Chancel- 
lorsville,  said  in  an  address  upon  Jackson  ; “The  religion  of 
Stonewall  Jackson  will  be  the  chief  and  most  effective  way 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  155 

into  the  secret  springs  of  character  and  career  of  the  strange 
man,  who,  as  years  go  by  is  rising  into  the  ranks  of  soldier 
sautts  of  history — Saint  Louis,  of  France,  Gustavus  Adolphus, 
of  Sweden,  Oliver  Cromwell,  of  England,  Stonewall  Jackson, 
of  America.” 

Ministers  of  Northern  pulpits  have  made  requests  of  South' 
ern  chaplains  for  information  concerning  the  religious  life  of 
Jackson,  giving  as  their  reason  for  the  request,  their  desire 
to  have  his  life  studied  and  used  in  example. 

We  cannot  think  of  Jackson  as  a soldier  without  thinking 
of  him  as  a Christian,  a man  of  prayer.  We  cannot  think 
of  .him  as  a man  teaching  a class  of  cadets  who  used  to  ridi- 
cule him,  because  they  were  not  prepared  to  understand  him 
without  knowing  that  all  the  little  ways  so  queer  to  these 
young  men,  ere  the  war  for  Southern  independence  was  over; 
and  they  had  seen  this  calm  and  “strange”  professor  in  the 
heat  of  battle,  were  ways  beyond  the  average  mortal.  To  a 
child  all  grown  folks  are  giants.  Jackson  was  a giant  to  grown 
folks.  He  was  not  understood. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

HIS  SOCIAL  HABITS.  REFERENCE  TO  SOME  OF  THE  ERRORS 
CONCERNING  JACKSON,  AND  A STATEMENT  OF  FACTS. 

Jackson,  while  not  a man  to  pretend  to  be  anything  that  he 
was  not,  and  would  not  try  to  make  up  in  bowing  or  manner- 
ism what  he  lacked  in  natural  grace  or  movement,  was  a 
very  polite  and  courtly  gentlemen,  and  though  somewhat 
stiff,  or  reserved,  was  a social  man — a warm-hearted  man. 

Once  at  a party  in  Lexington,  where  refreshments  were 
being  passed  around  to  the  guests,  Jackson  declined  to  take 
anything,  and  his  hostess  urging  him,  he  pleasantly  answered, 
“I  never  eat  after  my  evening  meal,  as  it  interferes  with  my 
health.”  Jackson  was  somewhat  of  a dyspeptic,  and  this 
simple,  honest  excuse  for  what  so  many  think  an  impolite- 
ness to  his  hostess,  was  much  more  to  be  praised  than  his  ac- 
cepting, against  his  convictions,  or  what  his  health  required. 
“Honesty  is  the  best  policy,”  was  not  a maxim  or  practice 
with  Jackson,  there  was  no  policy  about  him.  Honesty  was 
his  unchangeable  rule  and  he  clung  to  it  in  all  things. 

It  requires  a very  brave  heart  to  be  honest  at  all  times  in 
the  little  social  world.  The  “ways  of  the  world”  are  carried 
into  all  things  of  life,  even  into  the  church  affairs,  and  we 
often  hear  excuses  made  which  we  know  are  made  to  prevent 
anything  being  said  that  might  be  considered  rude.  Well,  it 
is  better  not  to  be  rude,  but  it  is  far  better  to  be  honest  and 
tell  the  truth,  or  remain  silent. 

Jackson  was  very  polite  and  never  passed  a lady  without 
lifting  his  cap,  whether  he  was  acquainted  with  her  or  not, 
and  whenever  courteous  attentions  were  necessary  he  never 
failed  to  quickly  respond.  When  a lady  entered  any  room  or 
place  where  he  was,  he  would  always  rise  and  stand  until 
the  lady  was  seated.  He  had  the  military  exactness  and  po- 
liteness with  a natural-born  chivalry.  He  was  ever  kind  and 
very  attentive  to  the  aged  and  infirm,  little  children  and  sick 
persons. 

In  society  so-called,  there  are  many  grades.  We  once  heard 
156 


Story  or  Stonewall  Jackson.  157 

of  a boot-black  going  to  the  Lord  Mayor  of  the  city  of  London 
and  complaining  in  a written  petition,  which  he  gave  the 
Mayor,  of  “certain  chimneysweepers  and  other  low  fellows 
who  called  themselves  boot-blacks,”  interfering  with  their 
social  order.  Now  this  shows  how  far  social  cast  can  extend. 
Society  that  must  depend  upon  a false  pretense  of  any  kind, 
is  not  good.  There  is  a society  of  church,  of  shop,  of  club, 
of  street  and  of  home.  There  are  those  who  live  upon  the 
name  of  their  forefathers,  and  hang  all  their  claims  for  recog- 
nition on  this  rather  brittle  twine.  There  are  those  who 
have  money  and  display  this  as  their  ticket  to  enter  all  society  ; 
others  who  are  superficial  and  glide  over  the  ways  of  society, 
iike  butterflies. 

Society,  that  remains  firmly  established  is  one  made  up  of 
virtue,  truth  and  genuine  faith.  The  rulers  of  the  world,  the 
makers  of  a great  nation  are  the  men  and  women  who  follow 
the  rigid  requirements  of  education,  earnest  application  to  the 
laws  of  control,  consider  the  rights  of  their  fellow  creatures, 
and  above  all,  do  all  things  in  the  fear  of  God.  To  the  latter 
belonged  the  immortal  Jackson. 

He  had  a family  record  of  which  he  was  justly  proud.  His 
ancest,ors  were  patriots,  men  of  strength,  pure  men  and  vir- 
tuous women,  his  own  mother  was  his  guide,  his  father  an 
honorable  man  of  excellent  position  ; he  was  a self-made  man, 
as  the  term  goes,  because  he  was  an  orphan  and  poor;  he  re- 
spected the  good  and  was  indifferent  to  public  opinion,  when 
it  clashed  with  what  he  felt  was  right.  His  associates  were 
God-feaiing  people.  He  did  his  duty  and  lived  a correct  life, 
but  never  once  did  he  bow  to  any  man  or  set  of  men  on  earth ! 

He  had  friends.  Let  us  read  what  he  himself  said  in  a let- 
ter to  one  of  his  friends  upon  the  subject  of  friendship  and  so- 
ciety. He  writes  : “The  kind  of  friends  to  whom  I am  most 
attached  are  those  with  whom  I feel  at  home,  and  to  whom  I 
can  go  at  all  proper  times  and  informally  tell  them  the  object 
of  my  call,  with  the  assurance  that,  if  practicable,  they  will 
join  me  in  carrying  out  my  plans  whether  they  are  for  an 
evening  promenade,  a musical  soiree,  or  whatever  they  may 
be ; and  all  this,  without  the  marred  pleasure  resulting  from  a 


158  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson, 

conviction  that  afterwards  all  my  conduct  must  undergo  a ju- 
dicial investigation  before  ‘Judge  Etiquette,’  and  that  for 
every  violation  of  his  code,  I must  be  censured,  if  not  socially 
ostracised.”  This  gives  us  the  cordial  ideas  of  the  great  man, 
who  seemed  to  shrink  from  the  shams  of  so-called  society. 

In  social  matters  he  was  strict  as  in  all  others.  He  has 
been  known  to  call  a day  or  so  after  a party  or  reception,  and 
explain  frankly  anything  that  may  have  transpired,  that  in  the 
remotest  degree  could  leave  the  person  under  a false  impres- 
sion concerning  him  or  his  views.  To  the  finest  point  he  was 
exact,  and  would  not  consent  to  be  held  in  doubt  or  misunder- 
stood if  he  could  avoid  it. 

When  the  hour  came  (and  with  him  the  hour  of  retirement 
was  early)  he  would  take  his  departure,  mattery  not  how 
brilliant  the  conversation,  the  flow  of  wit  and  feast  of  reason, 
or  what  allurements  were  placed  before  him,  music,  glitter  and 
all  the  exquisite  charms  of  a glad  social  evening,  he  would  bow 
himself  out  with  firm  politeness  and  leave  when  “his  time  was 
up.” 

He  would  always  try  and  make  himself  agreeable  to  all  he 
met,  and  at  once,  upon  meeting  a stranger,  would  try  and  find 
out  what  subject  was  most  convenient  and  pleasantest  for 
them  to  discuss,  and  then  he  was  delighted  if  he  could  make 
them  feel  at  ease  by  talking  on  their  subject. 

He  was  not  a person  whom  you  could  slap  on  the  back  and 
say,  “Old  man  how’s  your  health?”  or  any  other  familiar 
greeting  of  an  extended  intimacy,  and  while  the  cadets  called 
him  “Old  Jack,”  they  did  this  at  “a  great  distance,”  like  all 
schoolboys  call  their  teachers  “names”  at  times.  They  called 
him  “Old  Jack”  because  he  appeared  old  in  his  manner.  At 
West  Point,  when  under  twenty  years  of  age,  the  cadets  there 
called  him  this  name,  “Old  Jack”  and  “the  General.” 

Speaking  of  Jackson’s  being  delighted  when  he  could  as- 
certain the  subject  a companion  preferred  to  discuss,  and  defer 
any  desires  he  might  have  had,  or  preferences  as  to  the  topic 
of  conversation,  he  would  talk  with  them  upon  their  subjects 
and  was  a good  listener.  Listening  to  a conversation  in 
which  we  are  sometimes  not  particularly  interested,  is  an  art 


Story  or  Stonewall  Jackson.  159 

only  known  to  stenographers  and  typewriters,  and  while  con- 
fined almost  entirely  to  professional  auditors,  as  a rule  it  would 
be  well  for  every  individual  to  cultivate  the  art.  It  is  said 
that  Jackson  would  meet  ministers  who  were  not  nearly  so 
well-versed  in  theology,  ethics,  and  other  subjects,  as  himself, 
and  would  listen  to  them,  whether  or  not  from  habit  acquired 
by  constant  attendance  upon  church  service,  without  making 
the  slightest  sign  of  his  familiarity  with  the  subject,  and  it 
would  only  be  after  they  had  sounded  him,  as  it  were,  that 
they  discovered  the  wide  range  of  information  possessed  by 
him  upon  theology  and  religious  matters. 

He  m-ade  it  his  habit  to  read  and  study  and  to  think  sys- 
tematically upon  matters  and  subjects  likely  to  be  of  service  to 
him  and  was  remarkably  well  versed  and  posted;  his  knowl- 
edge was  not  superficial;  he  was  fond  of  books  and  of  nature. 

If  an  especially  well  instructed  or  learned  man  was  talking 
with  him,  and  would  refer  to  books  or  writers,  presuming  upon 
the  familiarity  of  Jackson  with  them,  and  he  was  not  familiar 
with  the  book  or  writer,  he  would  promptly  inform  his  com- 
panion that  he  was  mistaken,  and  that  he  did  not  know  who 
was  the  author  of  the  book  or  anything  about  the  book.  Few 
men  can  do  this,  that  is,  we  have  met  very  few  who  are  wil- 
ling to  frankly  confess.  In  ordinary  conversation  with  others, 
when  anyone  would  use  the  common  expression,  in  address- 
ing Jackson,  “You  know,”  he  would  say,  “No,  I do  not,”  in 
case  he  did  not. 

When  we  consider  the  minuteness  with  which  details  con- 
cerning Jackson's  social  life  has  been  indulged,  we  must 
remember  that  he  moved  in  a very  small  sphere,  and,  al- 
though a highly  cultivated  one,  as  the  society  of  educational 
centres  like  Lexington  usually  are,  that  therefore  all  of  his 
personal  characteristics  and  distinctive  differences  assumed 
pronounced  proportions.  Doubtless,  in  the  eagerness  to  sup- 
ply incidents,  anecdotes,  etc.,  that  would  add  to  the  interest 
of  critical  comment  upon  the  life  of  d resident  or  citizen, 
whose  fame  had  reached  throughout  the  entire  world,  slight 
deviations  from  exactness  and  fact,  were  made  possible  and 
indulged.  We  do  not  think  that  it  is  improbable  some  of  the 


i6o  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson, 

stories  related  of  Jackson  were  elaborate,  if  not  extravagant 
humorings  of  the  imagination. 

Had  Jackson  lived  in  a cosmopolitan  sphere  like  London, 
New  York,  Paris,  Berlin  or  Chicago,  the  personal  peculiarities 
which  were  so  minutely  and  at  the  same  time  grotesquely 
eaumerated,  would  not  have  been  subjected  to  the  degree  of 
focus  that  has  produced  unpleasant  criticisms.  No  man  whose 
life  has  become  of  universal  interest,  can  be  pi'operly  contem- 
plated, without  the  presence  of  every  phase  of  his  individuality, 
personality,  thought  and  action.  But  while  all  this  i-s  true, 
yet,  for  the  same  important  reason,  care  should  be  taken  to 
avoid  exaggeration,  lest  some  injury  be  done  the  subject.  We 
make  these  notes  as  prefatory  to  tlie  following  : 

Some  persons,  not  of  “Jackson’s  land,”  have  written  of 
Jackson  in  a manner  that,  were  it  not  for  enforced  and  par- 
donable curiosity,  perusal  would  be  intolerable.  Even  the 
sanity  of  Jackson  is  inferentially  disputed  by  picturing  him  in 
extreme  position,  ascribing  to  him  absurd  habits,  tastes,  and 
follies.  One  would  imagine,  if  not  conclude,  from  reading 
their  preposterous  sketches,  that  the  authors  of  same  designed 
Jackson  to  appear  as  a “crank,”  a morose  dreamer,  “a  char- 
acter.” 

There  are  those  elsewhere  who  should  have  known  better, 
that  have  written  of  Jackson  in  anything  but  a satisfactory 
manner.  In  another  part  of  this  book  is  given  extracts  from 
men  who  wrote  of  Jackson,  after  sufficient  acquaintance  with 
him  personally,  to  cause  their  observations  to  be  accepted  as 
able,  critical  and  truthful. 

In  a certain  book  written  by  a facetious  warrior-author, 
whose  fund  of  vocabulary  seems  to  have  been  the  only  capital 
upon  which  his  wealth  of  humor  was  furtively  hypothecated, 
wrote  of  him  as  a man  whose  personal  appearance  amounted 
to  little  less  than  a caricature,  and  whose  hygienic  peculiar- 
ities were  exhibited  in  the  form  of  a lemon-sucking  hypnotic. 
We  have  read  and  heard  of  Jackson  as  being  an  extreme  hy- 
dropathist,  and  that  he  wore  wet  underwear  and  slept  in  damp 
sheets.  Neither  statement  is  true.  He  was  a believer  in 
bathing.  Cleanliness  he  considered  next  to  godliness.  He 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jacrson.  :6i 

did  not  wear  wet  underclothes  or  sleep  in  damp  sheets.  We 
have  indisputable  authority  for  the  denial  of  these  fabrications. 

A poem  has  occasionally  been  printed  in  the  newspapers 
ascribing  poetic  genius  to  Jackson,  and  so  eager  were  these 
enterprising  persons  to  add  color  to  the  attempt  to  picture  him 
as  a poet,  that  they  place  him  on  a battle-field  and  make  him 
forget  the  sex  of  his  only  child  and  write  several  verses  of 
poetry  of  a very  gloomy  character — a kind  of  ode  to  his  wife 
and  child  ; but,  unfortunately,  the  picturesque  prevarication 
is  crushed  by  the  fact  that  Jackson  never  wrote  poetry  and 
had  but  one  child,  a daughter,  named  Julia,  in  memory  of  his 
mother.  The  verses,  in  order  to  make  rhyme,  have  Jackson’s 
child  a son. 

Again  referring  to  the  book  of  the  facetious  officer,  we  find 
this  language  : “I  have  written  that  he  was  ambitious;  and 
that  his  ambition  was  vast  and  absorbing.  Like  the  unhappy' 
wretch  from  whose  shoulders  sprung  the  foul  serpent,  he 
loathed  it,  perhaps  feared  it ; but  he  could  not  escape  it — it 
was  himself — nor  rend  it — it  was  his  own  flesh  ” 

Compare  this  “fictitious  biography’’  with  Jackson’s  abne- 
gation, humility,  devotion  to  the  cause  of  his  country,  his 
patience  under  ill  treatment,  and  loyalty,  even  when  wronged  ; 
further  compare  it  with  the  lettex'S  of  Jackson  to  the  faculty  at 
the  V.  M.  I.,  and  to  others;  his  verbal  expressions  upon  his 
desire,  his  longing  to  return  to  Lexington  and  resume  avoca- 
tions of  peace,  teaching,  it  is  barely  possible,  the  author, 
who  was  credited  as  being  near  other  ambitious  persons,  con- 
fused them  with  Jackson,  who  was  constantly  in  the  field. 

Among  the  cadet  pupils  of  Jackson,  at  the  V.  M,  I.,  there 
has  been  a tendency  to  enlarge  upon  any  personal  or  individ- 
ual manner  or  saying  of  their  former  instructor.  This  does 
not  grow  out  of  any  intention  to  belittle  him,  but  rather  ema- 
nates from  their  fondness  for  him  and  desire  to  add  interest  to 
his  record  or  history.  In  ^rder  to  make  the  calm  Lexington 
school  teacher  something  of  a “wonder,”  they  sought  aid 
from  their  somewhat  enthusiastic  and  over-excited  spirit,  and 
“made  up”  stories ; — little  entertaining  conjectures  of  orig- 
inality— and  these  have  been  fruitful  sources  in  the  compound- 


i62 


Stoky  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


ing  of  fiction  ; and  writers  and  lecturers  upon  Jackson  have 
made  copious  quotations  from  these  “tales”  and  “episodes”. 

The  soldiers,  too,  of  the  Stonewall  Brigade  and  Jackson’s 
corps  were  led  by  their  fondness  for  their  illustrious  leader, 
to  surround  him  with  the  marvellous,  and  so  numerous  and 
ingenious,  so  possible  and  attractive  are  the  stories  of  these 
faithful  followers  of  their  idolized  “old  Jack,”  that  they  will 
become  a part  of  Jackson’s  history. 

In  this  book  are  given  many  incidents,  anecdotes,  etc.,  that 
are  certainly  true,  but  none  show  Jackson  to  be  a man  of  fee- 
ble mind  or  of  immature  intellect.  There  is  not  a trace  of  in- 
sanity in  his  blood,  as  far  as  records  and  memory  can  reach. 
There  was  certainly  wonderful  individuality  about  Jackson. 
Some  men  who  knew  him  well,  for  instance,  Rev.  Dr.  Smith, 
who  was  on  his  staff,  speaks  of  him  as  a “strange  man.”  He 
may  have  had  peculiarities.  Nearly  all  great  men  have.  But 
in  personal  appearance,  sanity  and  character,  he  was  every 
inch  a man,  of  the  highest  type.  His  wife  gives  an  excellent 
description  of  his  personal  appearance  in  her  charming  book. 
He  was  six  feet  tall,  weighed  about  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  pounds,  handsome  features,  was  erect  and  military  in  his 
bearing. 

He  was  not  an  invalid.  His  service  in  the  field,  day  and 
night,  and  in  all  kinds  of  weather,  and  subsisting  on  the 
rather  precarious  army  fare,  proves  that  he  was  vigorous.  It 
IS  related  of  him  that  he  possessed  almost  super-human  endu- 
rance, lost  not  one  day  from  active  service  from  Lexington  to 
Chancellors ville,  and  no  account  is  to  be  had  of  his  bein  gill 
or  delicate;  upon  the  other  hand,  he  was,  generally  speaking, 
robust. 

He  was  not  a “showy”  soldier  and  his  extreme  modesty 
and  simplicity  enforced  upon  him  an  air  of  affectedness.  Dis- 
play was  not  considered  a part  of  a soldier’s  usefulness  by 
him.  He  believed  in  men  as  he  found  them,  and  was  one  of 
them,  and  refused  to  be  made  a “fancy  officer”  of.  As  a 
teacher,  his  youthfulness  at  first  compelled  him  to  be 
gravely  dignified,  but  his  “shell”  soon  disappeared  when  his 


Story  or  Stonewall  Jackson.  163 

relationship  with  professor  and  student  became  one  of  sopial 
intercourse,  and  he  then  was  “affability  itself.” 

He  was  not  stoically  taciturn,  nor  regally  reticent,  nor 
masterly  silent.  He  kept  his  counsel  as  a wise  man.  His 
tongue  he  ruled.  His  thoughts  were  his  own.  Like  all  pro- 
found men,  he  was  deep-souled,  and  spoke  in  deeds,  strong- 
hearted.  He  gave  the  world  all  its  title  in  Jackson  called 
for — the  rest  to  God. 

While  Jackson  took  no  part  in  politics  and  very  little  in 
ordinary  public  affairs,  from  reasons  he  did  not  relate  but  likely 
because  of  disgust  with  general  conduct  of  political  matters, 
and  especially  politicians  in  common  ; however,  he  was  em- 
phatically opposed  to  the  transmission  of  the  United  States 
mail  on  the  Sabbath  and  he  was  exact  in  his  observance  of  his 
rule,  never  to  have  anything  to  do  with  mail  of  any  character 
on  the  Sabbath.  He  would  not  write  a letter,  if  the  distance 
such  letter  had  to  go  would  necessitate  its  transmission  on  the 
Sabbath.  Nor  would  he  go  near  the  post-office  or  receive  a 
letter  on  that  day,  would  not  so  much  as  permit  mail  to  be  de- 
livered to  him.  He  would  not  read  a letter  on  the  Sabbath. 

On  one  occasion,  a friend  asked  him  to  accompany  him  to 
the  post-office  on  Sunday  and  he  declined  to  accompany  him. 
This  friend  had  a very  ill  relative  from  whom  he  desired  to 
hear.  The  next  day,  Alonday,  a letter  came  telling  of  the 
critical  condition  of  the  relative,  but  later  another  letter  came 
announcing  improvement  in  the  relative’s  condition,  and  Jack- 
son  remarked:  “Now  had  my  friend  causelessly  dishonored 
the  Sabbath,  he  would  have  suffered  a day  of  harrowing 
anxiety,  which  the  next  day’s  news  would  have  shown  utterly 
groundless,  but  God  rewarded  him  for  his  obedience  by  mer- 
cifully shielding  him  from  this  gratuitous  suffering.  He  sent 
him  the  antidote  along  with  the  pain.”  He  referred  to  bis 
friend’s  getting  two  letters  Monday,  one  following  the  other, 
and  on  the  same  day. 


CHAPTER  XHI. 


VISITS  HIS  SISTER. RETURNS  TO  LEXINGTON  AND  RESUMES 

HIS  CHURCH  WORK  AND  TEACHING. 

During  the  summer  following  the  one  of  his  uniting  with 
the  church,  he  visited  his  only  sister  Laura,  Mrs.  Arnold,  at 
Beverly,  Virginia  (now  West  Virginia).  Beverly  was  at  that 
time,  as  it  is  to-day,  an  interesting  village  located  on  West 
Virginia  Central  Railroad  in  the  mountains,  on  a charming 
plateau,  and  enjoys  many  attractions,  in  its  beauty  of  loca- 
tion, climate  and  society.  The  court  house  was  built  there 
over  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago  and  from  brick  made  in 
England,  and  hauled  in  wagons  from  Alexandria,  Virginia, 
over  the  mountains,  hundreds  of  miles.  It  is  located  on  a hill 
and  stands  a monument  to  pioneer  energy ; the  new  court 
house  is  built  near  by,  but  the  old  one  remains  in  fairly  good 
condition. 

Mrs.  Arnold,  Jackson’s  sister,  is  living  (1901),  but  is  a con- 
firmed invalid,  and  it  is  regretted  by  many  of  her  friends  that 
she  is  unable,  because  of  her  extremely  delicate  condition,  to 
tell  more  of  the  childhood  days  of  the  Jackson  children,  War- 
ren, Thomas  and  herself.  To  this  devoted  sister  of  the  great 
Christian  soldier,  the  world  is  indebted  for  several  interesting 
stories  of  the  early  life  of  Jackson. 

While  Jackson  was  visiting  this  mountain  village,  meeting 
people,  many  his  associates  when  a child  and  youth,  he  dis- 
covered a lack  of  piety  or  religious  development  in  the  neigh- 
borhood. This  at  once  called  forth  his  resolution  to  do  some 
missionary  work,  and  he  began  to  distribute  tracts,  talk  with 
the  people,  and  finally  held  meetings  in  the  church.  Wearing 
his  uniform,  and  bearing  a distinguished  appearance,  both  of 
which  attracted  attention  to  him  from  those  who  did  not  know 
him,  and  this,  together  with  his  fame  as  a Mexican  war  hero  ; 
his  lack  of  self-confidence  as  a speaker,  required  of  him  more 
than  ordinary  will  and  resolution.  But  nothing  seems  to  have 

dismayed  him  when  once  he  felt  it  his  duty  to  do  a thing,  and 
164 


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(lO) 


JULIA,  AT  AGE  OF  EIGHTEEN. 


“Cottage  Home.”  The  Morri.son  Homestead. 
(Where  Jackson’s  Second  Marriage  was  Performed.) 


At  Twelve  Years.  As  a Bride.  At  Sixteen  Years. 

JULIA,  ONLYFDAUGHTER^OF^GEN.  JACKSON. 

Born^November  23,  1862.  Tvlarried  Mr.  W.  E.  Christian,  June  2,  1885.  Died  August  30,  1889. 
(By  Courtesy  I.ouisvjlle  Courier-jiiiirnal  Joli  Printing  Co.) 


Storv  of  StON'EWARL  Jacksox. 


169 


he  conducted  the  meetings;  the  results  were  soothing  to  him, 
and  repaid  him  for  the  costs  of  the  ordeal  of  embarrassment. 

On  his  return  to  Lexington  from  his  visit  to  his  sister,  he 
volunteered  his  services  to  the  pastor  of  his  church  and  asked 
that  he  be  allowed  to  have  a class  in  the  Sunday-school,  of 
young  gentlemen.  The  request  was  granted  and  he  was  soon 
installed  as  teacher.  We  are  told  that  his  teaching  was  as 
earnest  and  as  absorbing  as  his  weekly  classes  at  the  Institute, 
and  the  members  of  the  class  were  grateful  to  him  for  the  in- 
struction they  received  in  the  Bible.  Many  of  the  gentlemen 
who  served  in  the  army  with  Jackson  were  members  of  his 
Sunday-school  class  -at  Lexington,  and  would  frequently  aid 
in  divine  services  held  in  Jackson’s  camps.  In  addition  to 
this  class  of  young  gentlemen,  he  had  another  class  which  be 
taught  at  a different  hour,  and  was  punctual  and  regular  in  his 
attendance  upon  the  morning  and  evening  church  services 
each  Sabbath. 

Some  of  the  cadets  at  the  Institute  were,  like  other  young 
men  in  large  schools,  not  especially  inclined  toward  religious 
affairs  and  were  disposed  to  make  light  of  General  Jackson’s 
piety.  That  the  accounts  given  of  him  by  some  of  the  stu- 
dents have  made  impressions  long  to  remain,  is  unfortunate. 
We  do  not  know  nor  would  it  be  an  easy  matter  for  us  to  be- 
lieve, that  anyone  who  knew  Jackson,  either  as  professor  or 
commander  of  a great  army,  would  intentionally  say  one  word 
that  would  detract  from  the  sacredness  and  influence  of  his 
memory  and  life.  Some  have  been  inclined  to  denounce  these 
stories  of  the  cadets,  going  so  far  as  to  attempt  to  defend 
Jackson  as  a figure  in  the  world’s  history,  against  these 
thoughtless  and  irresponsible  youths,  and  in  defense  of  their 
argument  brought  to  bear  the  weightiest  testimony,  that  the 
side  of  Jackson,  in  the  imaginary  debate,  would  win  over- 
whelming victory.  This  was  not  at  ail  necessary.  All  know 
Jackson  was  sincerely  a devout,  pious  and  religious  man;  and 
if,  as  Rev.  Dr.  Smith  says,  soldiers  are  sainted,  the  name  of 
Jackson  will  represent  America. 

Thomas  a Becket  was  canonized  within  three  years  after 
his  death.  The  Confessor  (a  surname  of  Edward  Third) 


]7o  Story  ok  Stonkw ai.k  Jackson. 

was  dead  one  hundred  years,  unknown  to  canonization. 
Were  canonizing  a Protestant  habit  and  of  modern  practice, 
Jackson  would  have  been  long  ago  canonized. 

He  was  fond  of  the  gymnasium^  and  had  one  on  a small 
scale,  established  in  his  own  home.  One  summer  he  e.xpanded 
his  chest  measure  to  such  an  extent  that  when  he  returned  to 
the  Institute  in  the  fall,  he  had  to  have  another  coat  made,  as 
his  double-breasted  uniform  coat  would  not  meet  over  his 
chest. 

These  cadets  that  Jackson  had  to  deal  with  were  possessed 
of  all  the  mischievousness  of  youth.  The  artillery  was  hauled 
by  drag-ropes.  This  is  done  to  train  cadets  for  emergencies 
in  case  artillery  had  to  be  taken  where  horses  could  not  go. 
The  cadets  would  play  all  sorts  of  tricks  on  the  Major.  They 
would  take  out  the  pin  that  connects  the  front  and  back  wheels 
of  the  cannon  carriages,  and  when  the  command  was  given, 
“Right — oblique — march — trot,’’  down  would  come  the 
cannon  as  the  two  parts  gave  away. 

One  time  the  cadets  put  in  a little  bell  in  the  limber  box, 
fixed  so  that  when  the  command  to  march  was  given,  the  bell 
would  ring  as  the  carriages  moved.  Jackson  would  with 
great  military  dignity  order  the  “halt.”  How  this  joke  termi- 
nated we  are  not  told,  but  likely  Jackson  made  some  one  feel 
cheap  over  it.  All  college  professors  try  various  experiments, 
and  tell  their  jokes.  One  day  Jackson  informed  his  class  that 
the  clock  of  the  Institute  was  not  correct,  and  marched  his 
class  out  to  illustrate  why  it  was  not.  He  said  he  would  do 
this  by  scientific  calculation  and  instruments.  He  took  the 
observations  by  the  instruments  and  he  calculated  that  the  cor- 
rect time  should  be  half-past  twelve  o’clock,  but  upon  taking 
the  actual  results,  as  they  stood  by  the  instrument,  he  found 
that  it  was  half-fast  seven  in  the  eveiiing.  Of  course  the 
cadets  had  a great  time  of  it  laughing  at  their  professor. 
The  instruments  were  out  of  order.  Likely  the  cadets  could 
have  explained  why. 

Another  joke  on  Jackson  is  told.  In  1858,  one  morning  be- 
before  the  final  exercises  of  the  day,  he  called  up  a member  of 
the  graduating  class,  and  asked  him  why  it  was  that  a tele- 


Story  of  Stoxewatl  J-’^crson.  171 

graphic  dispatch  could  not  be  sent  from  Lexington  to  Staun- 
ton. The  cadet  thought  for  a moment  or  so,  and  replied, 
“That  the  phenomenon  was  doubtless  caused  by  the  mountain 
of  iron  ore  between  there  and  Staunton,”  ‘No,  sir,”  Jack- 
son  replied. 

A second  cadet  was  called  up  and  asked,  then  a third. 
All  failed  to  give  the  answer.  Jackson  could  not  hide  the 
smile  in  his  eye.  A cadet  caught  this  smile  and  said,  “Well, 
Major,  I reckon  it  must  be  because  there  is  no  telegraph  line 
to  Staunton.”  “You  are  right,  sir.”  The  laugh  over,  Jack- 
son  resumed  with  great  dignity  the  lessons  of  the  day. 

Here  we  give  an  instance  that  is  not  o.f  the  joking  kind,  but 
will  show  that  Jackson  was  not  the  man  some  of  the  gay  ca- 
dets who  called  him  nanies,  thought  he  was.  A cadet  had 
acted  in  such  a manner  that  Jackson  preferred  charges  against 
him,  and  he  was  dismissed  from  the  Institute.  The  cadet  was 
furious  and  swore  he  would  kill  Jackson.  Another  cadet 
heard  this. 

The  dismissed  cadet  posted  himself  on  the  road  that  led 
from  Lexington  to  the  Institute  (the  V.  M.  I.  is  a little  outside 
of  the  town  of  Lexington).  He  knew  Jackson  would  pass 
that  way.  The  person  who  had  heard  the  cadet’s  threat  saw 
Jackson  and  told  him  to  go  back,  but  Jackson  calmly  said, 
“Let  the  assassin  murder  if  he  will,”  and  went  on  toward  the 
Institute. 

When  he  approached  the  spot  where  he  was  told  the  cadet 
would  be,  he  stopped  and  seeing  him,  looked  at  him  with  that 
same  cold  eye  of  courage  that  looked  death  in  the  face  upon 
many  battle-fields  in  Mexico.  The  cadet  could  not  face  the 
dangerous  Major  and  sneaked  away. 

Jackson’s  submission  to  the  will  of  his  Maker  was  as  great 
as  anyone  of  which  we  have  account.  Asked  upon  an  occa- 
sion, if  he  was  called  upon  as  duty  required  of  him  and  he  felt 
it  to  be  the  will  of  God,  that  he  should  give  up  every  ambition, 
drop  every  scheme  of  life  and  of  personal  advancement,  and 
go  to  the  heart  of  Africa  for  the  rest  of  his  days,  would  he  go.? 
His  eyes  flashed  as  he  replied  ; 1 would  go  without  my  hat  ” 

Asked  by  the  same  friend  what  was  his  understanding  of 


172 


Stcihv  ok  Stoxewai.i.  Jackson. 


the  Bible  command.  ‘'Pray  without  ceasiny-.”  ‘‘I  can  yive 
you,”  he  said,  "my  idea  of  it  by  illustration,  if  you  will  allow 
it,  and  not  think  I am  setting  myself  up  as  a model  for  others. 
I have  so  fixed  the  habit  in  my  own  mind  that  I never  raise  a 
glass  of  water  to  my  lips  without  lifting  my  heart  to  God  in 
thanks  and  prayer  for  the  water  of  life.  Then  when  I take 
my  meals  there  is  grace.” 

"Whenever  I drop  a letter  in  the  post-office,  I send  a peti- 
tion along  with  it  for  God’s  blessing  and  the  person  to  whom 
it  is  sent.  When  I break  the  seal  of  a letter  just  received,  1 
stop  to  ask  God  to  prepare  me  for  its  contents,  and  make  it  a 
messenger  of  good.  When  I go  to  my  class-room  aird  await 
the  arrangement  of  the  cadets  in  their  places,  that  is  my  time 
to  intercede  with  God  for  them.  And  so  with  every  act  of 
the  day,  I have  made  the  practice  habitual.” 

“And  don’t  you  sometimes  forget  to  do  this?”  asked  his 
friend.  “I  can  hardly  say  that  I do,  the  habit  has  become  al- 
most as  fixed  as  to  breathe.” 

He  often  would  comment  upon  the  restiveness  of  a profes- 
sor of  religion  under  trials.  He  said  he  could  not  be  unhappy 
under  any  trials  if  he  believed  it  to  be  the  will  of  God.  Once 
a friend  said:  "Major,  suppose  you  should  lose  your  health 
entirely,  do  you  think  you  would  be  happy?”  “Yes,  I think 
I would  be.”  “Well,  in  addition  to  loss  of  health,  suppose 
you  should  become  blind?”  "Even  such  a misfortune  could 
not  make  me  doubt  the  love  of  God,”  Jackson  replied.  Know- 
ing how  Jackson  could  not  endure  the  thought  of  being  de- 
pendent on  others,  his  friend  in  order  to  further  test  him  said, 
“Suppose  you  lost  health  and  eyesight  and  was  a helpless  in- 
valid, and  had  to  be  in  bed  and  receive  grudging  charity  from 
those  upon  whom  you  had  no  claim,  what  then?”  Jackson 
was  nearly  stunned,  but  lifting  those  true  blue  eyes  to  his 
friend’s  in  triumphant  ga^e,  he  replied  : “If  it  were  God’s  will 
I think  I could  lie  there  a hundred' years.'' 

All  this  may  appear  very  different  to  the  common  mortals  of 
this  world,  but  is  certainly  true  of  Jackson.  His  faith  in  God, 
and  his  absolute  submission  to  his  will,  and  his  desire  to  do 
nothing  to  displease  Him,  was  his  “food  and  drink.”  He  has 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


173 


been  known  often  to  refuse  to  discuss  secular,  “every  day,” 
matters  with  any  one  on  the  Sabbath.  But  few  have  more 
rigidly  kept  all  the  commandments.  “Remember  the  Sabbath 
day  to  keep  it  holy,”  was  a law  he  kept  as  he  did  the  day. 

If  there  is  any  letter  we  are  apt  to  break  the  seal  of,  on  any 
day,  it  is  a letter  from  one’s  sweetheart  or  a very  dear  friend. 
Here  is  related  a test  on  Jackson’s  keeping  the  Sabbath  rule 
about  his  letters.  His  sweetheart  lived  in  a far  away  State, 
down  South.  A friend  saw  him  receive  a letter  from  her 
late  one  Saturday  evening,  and  as  Jackson’s  eyes  were  feeble, 
he  would  not  use  them  at  night,  so  he  had  to  keep  the  lettter 

The  next  day  his  friend  said,  “Have  you  read  your  letter?” 
(meaning  the  one  from  his  sweetheart).  “Assuredly  not,  sir.” 
“Where  is  it?”  Tapping  his  coat  pocket,  he  said,  “Here.” 
“What  obstinacy,  don’t  you  know  you  will  think  of  it  all  dur- 
ing service  at  church  and  this  will  cause  you  to  break  your  ob- 
servance of  the  day?” 

“No,”  he  replied  pleasantly,  “I  shall  make  the  most  faith- 
ful effort  I can  to  govern  my  thoughts  and  guard  them  from 
unnecessary  distraction  ; and,  as  I do  this  from  a sense  of  duty, 
I expect  the  divine  blessing.”  He  said  he  was  repaid  for  his 
sacrifice  on  that  day,  as  he  enjoyed  great  tranquility  all  day. 


CAHPTER  XIV. 


VISITS  EUROPE. — WRITES  OK  HIS  TOUR. HIS  METHOD  OF 

TEACHING. 

In  the  summer  of  1856  Jackson  took  a trip  to  Europe.  He 
must  have  enjoyed  it,  as  he  told  some  one  once  : “I  would  advise 
you  to  never  mention  my  European  trip  to  me  unless  you  are 
possessed  with  a superabundance  of  patience,  as  the  very  men- 
tion of  it  is  calculated  to  bring  up  an  almost  inexhaustible  as- 
semblage of  grand  and  beautiful  associations.” 

He  seemed  to  be  impressed  with  everything  of  large  pro- 
portions. He  never  in  life  referred  to  great  men  particularly, 
but  their  works  he  admired.  With  the  exception  of  a very 
few  instances,  Jackson  is  not  known  to  have  mentioned  the 
names  of  men  in  the  way  of  man-praise.  He  looked  on  men 
as  only  incidents  in  the  hands  of  God,  and  did  not  appear  to 
think  anything  worthy  of  notice  belonged  to  them  as  men. 

He  admired  the  art,  the  paintings,  the  statuary,  architect- 
ure and  other  products  of  art  and  science  in  the  Old  World. 
Speaking  of  his  visit  to  Florence,  Italy,  he  said,  “I  began  to 
realize  the  sentiments  of  the  Florentine — ‘Take  from  me  my 
liberty,  take  from  me  what  you  will,  but  leave  me  my  statu- 
ary ; leave  me  these  entrancing  productions  of  art.’  And  simi- 
lar to  this,”  said  Jackson  “is  the  influence  of  paintings.” 

In  writing  to  a friend  while  in  Europe,  he  speaks  with  en- 
thusiasm of  the  romantic  lakes  of  Scotland  ; the  imposing  ab- 
beys and  cathedrals  of  England;  the  Rhine,  with  its  castellated 
banks  and  luxuriant  vineyards  ; the  sublime  scenery  of  Switz- 
erland, with  her  lofty  Mont  Blanc  and  massive  Mer-de-Glace ; 
the  vestiges  of  Venetian  beauty;  the  sculpture  of  Italy;  the 
ruins  of  Rome  ; the  beautiful  bay  of  Naples,  illuminated  by 
Vesuvius;  the  lovely  France,  with  her  gay  capital,  etc. 

There  is  a significant  mention  made  in  one  of  his  letters  on 
his  foreign  tour,  and  it  is  this  : in  referring  to  the  great 
stature  of  Powers,’  “II  Penseroso,”  he  says,  “is  represented 

174 


Story  or  Stonewall  Jackson.  175 

as  walking  abroad  while  absorbed  in  thought,  \v,  1 the  finger 
of  one  hand  resting  upon  the  lip^  while  the  other  carries  a 
train.”  Jackson  could  do  all  this.  He  carried  the  secrets  of 
his  campaigns  under  sealed  lips,  while  he  carried  his  army  in 
his  hand.  The  subject,  ‘T1  Penseroso,”  struck  Jackson  with 
a force  few  would  have  felt.  It  is  after  his  nature;  keeping 
one’s  counsels  and  having  something  to  keep. 

His  tour  lasted  about  five  months,  and  he  visited  Liverpool, 
Chester,  Eaton  Hall,  Glasgow,  Lochs  Lamond,  Katrine,  Stir- 
ling Castle,  Edinburgh,  York,  London,  Antwerp,  Brussels, 
Waterloo,  Aix-la-Chapelle,  Cologne,  Bonn,  Frankfort-on-the 
IMain,  Heidelburg,  Baden  Baden,  Strasburg,  Balse,  Lakes 
Lucerne,  Brience,  and  Thun;  Berne,  Freiburg,  Geneva, 
Milan,  Florence,  Venice,  Naples,  Rome,  Marseilles,  Paris^ 
Mer-de-Glace,  over  the  Alps  by  Simphon  Pass  ; again  London, 
Liverpool,  and  home.  He  wrote  the  above  to  his  aunt,  Mrs. 
Neale,  who  had  sheltered  him  as  a little  orphan  boy,  and 
whom  he  loved  to  visit  and  write,  all  through  his  life. 

He  was  gone  about  five  months  on  his  tour,  and  during 
that  short  time,  he  learned  enough  French  to  read  the  Script- 
ures in  the  New  Testament  from  a Testament  written  in 
French.  He  also  kept  a “journal”  of  his  trip,  which  he 
brought  back  to  America. 

Ocean  travel  was  much  slower,  and  not  so  punctual  at  that 
period  as  it  is  now,  and  he  was  delayed  in  reaching  his  post 
of  duty  at  the  Institute.  Knowing  how  very  strict  he  was  in 
all  of  his  appointments,  he  was  asked  if  the  delay  had  not 
made  him  very  miserable.  He  replied  : “Not  at  all.  I did 
all  in  my  power  to  be  here  at  the  appointed  time,  but  when 
the  steamer  was  delayed  by  Providence,  my  responsibility 
was  at  an  end.” 

This  trip  to  Europe,  aside  from  giving  him  a great  deal 
of  pleasure,  his  health  was  greatly  improved  and  he  was  ready 
to  resume  his  work.  It  is  thought  by  many  that  Jackson, 
while  at  Waterloo  and  elsewhere,  studied  considerably  the 
Napoleon  campaigns,  and  it  is  known  he  gave  thought  to 
strategy  and  Napoleon  ; doubtless  also  to  Wellington,  both  of 
whom  he  resembled  in  many  ways. 


176 


Story  of  Stonewalt  Jackson. 


Jackson  possessed  a rich  vocabulary  of  excellent  Saxon,  and 
had  his  exchequer  been  plethoric  and  he  thus  enabled  to  pat- 
ronize his  tastes,  he  would  have  doubtless  indulged  his  dilet- 
tanteism  ; and  while  he  never  piqued  himself  upon  any  of  his 
talents,  his  fondness  for  art,  adventure  and  higher  social  de- 
velopment, would  have  doubtless  led  him  into  a literary  ven- 
ture at  this  period. 

Some  persons  expressed  surprise  when  Jackson  undertook 
to  teach,  as  he  was  looked  upon  as  excessively  diffident  and 
lacking  confidence  in  himself.  As  before  stated,  the  selection 
of  this  avocation  was,  while  not  exactly  a dernier  resort,  he 
was  not  prepared  to  select  his  occupation,  and  he  considered 
teaching,  as  do  all  thoughtful  men,  a useful  and  elevating  pro- 
fession. He  overcame  all  difficulties,  and  the  fact  that  he  re- 
mained at  Lexington  from  I851  to  1861,  when  he  left  to  enter 
the  army,  proves  his  acceptance  to  the  trustees  of  the  Institute, 
as  well  as  his  success.  It  is  said  that  he  regretted  that  he  had 
not  learned  Latin.  It  may  not  be  generally  known,  but  Latin 
is  not  taught  at  West  Point.  However,  he  told  a friend  that 
as  he  knew  something  about  Spanish,  and  had  learned  that 
language  while  in  Mexico,  he  would  proceed  to  master  Latin. 

This  bold  assertion  amused  his  friends  who  clung  to  the 
theory  that  Latin,  like  the  alphabet,  was  to  be  begun  in  child- 
hood. Jackson  made  the  following  remarkable  reply  (which 
is  worthy  to  be  written  prominently,  as  one  of  the  resolutions 
young  men  could  make  in  the  beginning  of  life)  : “I  can  ac- 
complish WHATEVER  I WILL  TO  DO.”  This  is  Strong  lan- 
guage, but  after  considerable  study  of  the  career  of  Jackson, 
we  have  to  learn  of  his  ever  having  failed  in  anything  he  un- 
dertook to  accomplish. 

When  he  was  applying  for  a chair  in  the  University  of  Vir- 
ginia, some  of  his  intimate  acquaintances  asked  him  if  he  had 
not  over-estimated  his  capacity.  That  at  the  University  the 
method  of  instruction  was  largely  by  lecture,  and  he  had  not 
been  used  to  teaching  except  from  text-books  direct.  Jackson 
smiled  and  reminded  them  that  this  was  not  a difficulty  or 
drawback,  as  he  had  not  been  teaching  from  text-books  di- 
rectly as  they  thought,  that  he  had  memorized  and  framed  his 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  177 

instruction  into  the  form  of  lectures,  because  of  the  weakness 
of  his  eyes  he  could  not  use  them  in  the  constant  reference  to 
text-books  while  teaching,  and  had  memorized  his  texts  and  in- 
struction. 

Jackson  also  told  them  that  he  had  no  hope  of  becoming 
eloquent,  but  effort  I shall  succeed  as  a lecturer,  for  I 
can  accomplish  a7iything  I wish  to  perforTnd'  Does  this  lan- 
guage seem  egotistic  to  the  reader.^  If  so,  cite  an  instance  on 
record  where  Jackson  failed  in  whatever  he  set  his  mind  and 
Avill  to  do. 

Speaking  of  Jackson’s  lack  of  eloquence,  it  is  barely  possi- 
ble that  he  had  some  aspirations  as  an  orator,  and  also  had  he 
not  been  so  opposed  to  the  commonplace  in  politics,  to  put  the 
game  of  politics  under  a more  respectable  name,  he  would  have 
been  as  distinguished  a statesman  as  he  was  a soldier. 

He  lacked  the  natural  gifts  of  declaiming,  and  yet  wanted 
to  become  a public  speaker,  or  rather  a speaker  in  public ; that 
is,  to  be  able  to  speak  when  occasion  arose.  To  this  end  he 
joined  the  Franklin  Literary  Society,  a society  comprising  the 
learned  and  literary  men  of  the  town.  Jackson  was  always 
punctual  and  it  is  said,  “When  his  turn  came  to  speak  he  was 
on  his  feet.” 

His  coup  d' essai  was  so  embarrassing,  he  finally  was  so  over- 
come that  he  sat  down.  All  present  sympathized  with  him, 
as  everyone  admired  him  and  felt  that  he  would  master  this 
mild  form  of  stage  fright  and  peculiar  shyness — peculiar  be- 
cause he  was  so  absolutely  a brave  man.  As  predicted  by  his 
friends,  he  did  not  stay  down  long,  but  rising  to  his  feet  began 
again  and  repeated  this  programme  until  he  learned  to  de- 
claim ; he  would  often  have  to  sit  down  and  get  up  and  at  the 
task  again,  probably  two  or  three  times  during  one  evening. 
Never  once  did  he  seem  in  the  least  disposed  to  give  up  be- 
cause of  his  being  so  abashed.  No  one  laughed  at  him.  He 
was  too  soundly  respected  for  fun  making,  which  of  course, 
however,  would  have  been  considered  highly  indecorous 
among  refined,  generous  and  polite  people. 

Frequently  we  come  across  accounts  of  Jackson,  and  have 
had  them  verified  by  those  who  knew  him  well,  indicating  that 


lyS  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

he  was  extremely  bashful.  In  the  army,  unless  actually  en- 
gaged in  battle,  or  preparing  for  the  same,  he  would  shrink 
from  making  anything  like  a display,  and  when  he  bid  fare- 
well to  the  immortal  Stonewall  Brigade,  after  more  than  a 
moment  of  intense  hesitation,  his  farewell  address  burst  as 
some  great  globe  of  eloquence  and  showered  exquisite  rhetoric 
and  emotional  eloquence  over  the  saddened  soldiers.  His  ad- 
dress ended,  he  again  awkwardly  paused,  when,  as  if  inspired 
by  some  new  thought  or  visitation  of  prophetic  promise, 
he  wheeled  his  horse  and  dashed  away,  leaving  behind  him 
men  who  were  a part  of  his  very  hope,  and  yet  he  never  once 
turned  his  head. 

Returning  to  the  subject  of  his  aspiration  to  become  a pub- 
lic speaker,  he  accomplished  his  desire  and  impressed  all  who 
heard  him  speak  as  one  who,  with  practice,  would  have  be- 
come a famous  orator.  ' His  speech  was  rapid,  direct  and  clear. 
He  wasted  no  force  in  gesture,  but  spoke  earnestly,  and  pos- 
sessed what  the  greatest  American  orator,  Webster,  expressed 
as  the  essence  of  oratory — clearness,  force  and  earnestness — 
these  produce  conviction.  He  has  been  known  to  astonish 
speakers  who  laid  claims  to  oratorical  distinction. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


SECOND  MARRIAGE.  DESCRIPTION  OF  JACKSON  BY  MRS. 

JACKSON  AND  OTHER  NOTES  BY  MRS  JACKSON. 

On  the  i6th  day  of  July,  1857,  Jackson  married  Miss  Mary 
Anna  Morrison,  of  North  Carolina.  Before  his  first  marriage 
he  had  met  Miss  Morrison  in  Lexington  during  her  visit  to 
her  sister,  Mrs.  D.  H.  Hill,  whose  husband  was  a professor 
at  the  V.  M.  I.,  and  was  afterwards  a distinguished  general 
in  the  army  of  the  Defenders. 

A picture  is  given  here  of  the  home  of  Miss  Morrison,  where 
Jackson  visited  her  in  those  happy  days  before  the  war,  when 
romance  was  so  much  a part  of  Southern  life.  Those  good 
old  days,  the  habits  and  forms  of  which  will  come  to  be  in- 
terwoven with  American  literature,  and  be  the  theatre  of 
lieroes  and  heroines  in  the  fiction  of  the  centuries ! A sketch 
is  given  indhe  pages  of  Mrs.  Jackson’s  family.  Three  of  the 
sisters  married  men  who  afterwards  became  generals  in  the 
army  of  the  Defenders  Isabella  married  D.  H.  Hill;  Mary 
Anna,  “Stonewall”  Jackson;  Eugenia,  Rufus  Barringer. 

Miss  Morrison  had  relatives  whose  eminent  service 
to  the  Government  resembled  those  of  the  Jackson  family, 
and  she  had  just  returned  from  a visit  to  Washington, 
D.C.,  when  she  found  her  younger  sister  was  going  to  Lex- 
ington to  visit  Mrs.  Hill.  She  could  hardly  promise  herself 
two  visits  in  such  quick  succession,  but  was  delighted  to  learn 
that  the  younger  sister,  who  was  doubtless  timid,  had  gained 
permission  for  her  to  accompany  her  on  the  trip. 

In  those  days  there  were  few  railroads  in  the  South,  and 
the  trip  to  Lexington  was  a long  and  circuitous  one.  A gen- 
tleman of  Dr.  Morrison’s  church  was  going  to  Philadelphia  to 
the  Presbyterian  General  Assembly  and  the  young  ladies  were 
put  under  his  care;  and  they  began  their  trip  by  first  going 
from  Charlotte,  N.  C.,  to  Charleston,  S.C.,  by  rail.  Here 
they  took  a ship  for  Wilmington,  N.C.,  and  vivid  descriptions 
by  Mrs.  Jackson  are  given  of  the  sunset  and  the  delights  of 

the  trip.  They  were  not  sea-sick, 

179 


THE  BONNIE  BLUE  FLAG. 


i8o 


Story  of  Stomewall  Jackson. 


Harry  McCarthy,  having  no  paper. 


Story  of  Stonewarf  Jackson.  i8i 

From  Wilmington  they  went  to  Richmond,  Virginia,  by 
railroad.  Think  of  the  changes.  At  that  period  it  required 
several  days  to  reach  Wilmington  from  Charlotte,  and  one  had 
to  travel  all  round  the  country.  Now  the  '^rip  is  made  in  com- 
paratively a few  hours  direct.  The  young  ladies  expected 
their  kind  escort  to  leave  them  at  Richmond,  but  that  was  not 
the  way  in  those  times,  and  he  chivalrously  took  them  safely 
to  Lexington  and  then  continued  to  Philadelphia. 

Jackson  was  at  this  time,  May  1853,  about  twenty-nine 
years  of  age ; he  was  an  intimate  friend  and  constant  visitor 
at  Major  Hill’s  home  and  was  thrown  considerably  with  Mrs. 
Hill’s  sisters,  the  Misses  Morrison.  He  was  at  the  time  en- 
gaged to  be  married  to  Miss  Elinor  Junkin,  daughter  of  the 
President  of  Washington  College,  to  whom  he  was  married  in 
August. 

Mrs.  Jackson  describes  her  first  impressions  of  the  young 
military  professor  and  distinguished  soldier  of  the  Mexican 
war.  Before  making  the  quotations  from  Mrs.  Jackson’s  book 
of  this  description,  let  the  reader  bear  in  mind  that  these 
words  here  to  follow  are  written  by  the  wife  of  Jackson,  and, 
therefore,  must,  are,  and  naturally  should  be  the  most  abso- 
lutely accurate  and  correct  that  have  been  written  upon  his 
personal  appearance,  habits,  temperament  and  private  life. 
Mrs.  Jackson  writes,  it  must  also  be  remembered,  of  her  first 
impressions,  and  of  her  life  with  Jackson  fully  a quarter  of  a 
century  after  his  death,  and  after  she  had  doubtless  read  many 
of  the  absurd  descriptions  given  of  her  and  her  distinguished 
husband. 

Mrs.  Jackson  says:  “The  descriptions  of  his  personal  ap- 
pearance differ  so  much  that  I must  be  permitted  to  give  mine, 
which  surely  ought  to  be  true  to  life.  His  head  was  a 
splendid  one,  large  and  finely  formed  and  covered  with  soft, 
dark  brown  hair,  which,  if  allowed  to  grow  to  any  length, 
curled ; but  he  had  a horror  of  long  hair  for  a man,  and  clung 
to  the  conventional  style  a la  militaire,  of  wearing  very  closely 
cut  hair  and  short  side  whiskers. 

“After  he  was  persuaded  to  turn  out  a full  beard,  it  was 
very  much  more  becoming  to  him,  his  beard  being  a handsome 


1 82  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

brown,  a shade  lighter  than  his  hair.  His  forehead  was  noble 
and  expansive  and  always  fair  from  a protection  by  his  mili- 
tary cap. 

“His  eyes  were  blue-gray,  large  and  well  formed,  capable 
of  wonderful  changes  with  his  varying  emotions.  His  nose 
was  straight  and  finely  chiseled,  his  mouth  small,  and  his 
face  oval.  His  profile  was  very  fine. 

“All  his  features  were  regular  and  symmetrical  and  he 
was  at  all  times  manly  and  noble  looking,  and  when  in  robust 
health  was  a handsome  man.” 

Mrs.  Jackson,  speaking  of  her  visit  to  Lexington  when  a 
girl,  and  the  impressions  made  upon  her  by  Jackson,  says  : 
“He  was  of  a very  military  bearing  and  reserve,  but  kind  and 
relished  a good  story  or  a joke  and  laughed  heartily  when 
anything  impressed  him  as  funny.”  She  also  tells  us  of  many 
charms  he  possessed,  of  his  courtliness,  his  generous  and 
frank  manner,  of  his  neatness,  his  cordiality  and  friendliness. 
Says  he  would  always  call  by  Maj.  Hill’s  and  ascertain  if  her 
sister  and  herself  were  provided  with  escorts  for  church  and 
other  occasions,  and  was  a brotherly  friend;  and  relates  in 
substance  somewhat  of  a joke  mildly  perpetrated  upon  the 
Hill  household,  in  the  following  paragraph. 

Jackson  followed  his  aphorism  : “Mystery  is  the  secret  of 
success”  even  in  his  courtship.  He  seldom  was  seen  in 
public  with  his  sweetheart.  But  few  persons  knew  of  his 
engagement  to  Miss  Junkin,  but  a more  devoted  lover  at  her 
home,  and  on  occasions  when  there  could  be  no  suspicion  of 
an  engagement,  he  was  all  and  in  all  to  her.  Both  joined  in 
this  secret,  and  when  the  announcement  was  made  of  the  mar- 
riage, the  town  was  taken  by  surprise  and  delight.  On  the 
very  morning  of  his  marriage  he  called  at  Major  Hill’s  home 
and  was  in  high  spirits,  called  for  his  favorite  songs  and  was 
genuinely  happy.  The  Misses  Morrison  only  had  hints  of  the 
engagement,  but  they  were  taken  by  storm  next  morning  to 
find  that  Major  Jackson  had  married  and  gone  North  with 
his  bride. 

The  young  ladies  returned  in  the  fall  to  their  home  kt  North 
Carolina.  The  younger  sister  married  in  the  following  spring 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  1G3 

a young  lawyer,  Rufus  Barringer,  afterward  a Brigadier-Gen- 
eral in  the  army  of  the  Defenders — making  three  Generals, 
brothers-in-law  in  the  same  army — and  Miss  Anna  was  left  tO' 
her  meditations  and  fancy.  She  grieved  at  the  loss  of  her 
sister  by  marriage.  Major  Hill  moved  from  Lexington  and 
Jackson  was  lost  sight  of.  The  sad  news  of  Jackson’s  great 
bereavement,  in  the  loss  of  his  wife,  in  the  fall  of  1854,  was 
brought  to  North  Carolina  by  letter  from  Mrs.  Hill.  All  felt 
deeply  for  Major  Jackson,  who  had  been  so  kind  to  the  young 
ladies  on  their  visit  to  Lexington. 

After  his  return  from  Europe  some  time  during  the  winter 
of  1856,  Miss  Morrison  was  greatly  surprised  one  day,  by  the 
receipt  of  a letter  from  Major  Jackson.  A short  time  after  this 
he  paid  a visit  to  Miss  Morrison.  His  visit  was  brief,  as  he 
came  during  the  session  of  the  Institute.  All  were  pleased 
with  him.  Dr.  Morrison  was  especially  impressed  by  his  bear- 
ing as  a Christian  gentlemen,  of  marked  ability  and  culture. 

On  his  return  to  Lexington  he  wrote  many  letters  to  Miss 
IMorrison,  some  of  which  are  given  in  her  book,  at  the  earnest 
solicitation  of  thousands  of  Jackson’s  admirers,  who  wanted 
to  have  the  world  see  something  of  his  real  self  , 7iot  known  to 
the  outsider. 

These  letters  were  messengers  from  his  heart,  as  few  knew 
the  heart  of  Jackson  to  be.  They  are  couched  in  excellent 
English,  devout  in  their  tone,  and  are  not  disappointing.  They 
are  spiritually  and  soulfully  devoted.  In  them  we  see  his  love 
of  nature,  get  a glimpse  into  the  meditations  that  possessed 
him  in  his  quiet  strolls  along  the  beautiful  river  and  among 
the  hills  about  Lexington,  his  gratitude  to  God  for  the  bless- 
ings bestowed  upon  him  and  especially  in  the  gift  of  the  love 
of  a pure  and  true  woman,  who  was  to  be  his  bride  before  the 
summer  left  the  hills. 

On  the  i6th  of  July,  1857,  as  before  related,  the  young  lady 
from  the  old  North  State,  so  rich  in  historical  interest,  became 
the  bride  of  this  college  professor,  who,  before  many  years  had 
passed,  filled  the  world  with  his  fame  as  a military  leader  of 
matchless  valor  and  skill.  The  ceremony  took  place  at  the 
country  home  of  the  bride,  in  North  Carolina,  being  performed 


184  vStory  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

by  Rev.  Dr.  Drury  Lacy,  uncle  of  Rev.  Mr.  Lacy,  a chap- 
lain in  Jackson’s  army.  Aliss  Morrison’s  father,  though  a 
Presbyterian  minister,  preferred  not  to  perform  the  marriage 
ceremony  of  his  daughter  because  of  his  being  unwilling  to  risk 
his  emotional  feelings. 

Airs.  Jackson,  in  her  excellent  book  gives  an  interesting  ac- 
count of  her  trousseau  and  the  trouble  or  anxiety  she  experi- 
enced because  of  a delay.  Her  trousseau  did  not  arrive  until 
two  hours  before  the  marriage  ceremony,  and  one  can  readily 
imagine  the  young  lady’s  dismay  and  anxiety,  while  an  im- 
provised trousseau  was  being  prepared.  She  lived  in  the  coun- 
try and  her  trousseau  was  to  come  from  New  York.  This 
was  likely  one  of  the  instances  of  “special  providence,”  that 
Jackson  often  referred  to. 

The  young  bride  tells  of  her  presents,  his  was  a “beautiful 
gold  watch  and  a lovely  set  of  seed  pearls.”  They  went  on 
an  extensive  bridal  tour,  visiting  in  Richmond,  Baltimore, 
Philadelphia,  New  York,  Saratoga  and  Niagara  Falls. 

Jackson  enjoyed  the  grandeur  of  Niagara,  and  he  ever  ad- 
mired the  wonderful  works  of  the  Creator,  and  “looking 
through  nature  up  to  nature’s  God.”  At  Saratoga  he  took  no 
notice  whatever  of  the  gay  throng,  but  admired  the  natural 
beauties  of  the  surroundings,  and  they  spent  their  time  there 
in  truly  lover-like  fashion,  driving  and  strolling  and  rowing 
upon  the  lake,  which  was  at  that  time  covered  with  water- 
lilies. 

From  the  North  they  returned  to  Virginia,  going  to  the  Rock 
Bridge  Alum  Springs,  where  they  remained  several  weeks, 
until  the  opening  of  the  fall  term  of  the  Instituteat  Lexington. 
With  true  gallantry  he  told  his  young  wife  that  as  God  had 
given  him  a wife  suitable  to  adorn  a home,  he  would  not  be 
content  until  he  had  one  for  her,  and  he  at  once  began  to  ar- 
range his  affairs  to  this  end. 

Rev.  Dr  Dabney,  in  his  work  on  the  life  of  Jackson,  says  : 
“In  no  man  were  the  domestic  affections  evermore  tender  and 
noble.  He  who  saw  him  only  as  a stern,  self-denying  soldier 
in  his  quarters,  amidst  the  details  of  the  commander’s  duties 
or  on  the  field  of  battle,  could  scarcely  comprehend  the  gen- 


First  Capitol  of  the  Confederacy, 
Montgomery,  Ala. 


Where  President  Davis  Lived  in  Montgomery,  Ala  , 
Known  as  White  House  of  the  Confederacy. 


Medal  of  the  Stonewall  Brigade. — (Kindness 
of  the  “Confederate  Veteran.”) 


The  Flags  they  Loved. — (Kindness  of  the 
“Confederate  Veteran.” 


GENERAL  BEE  OF  S.  C. 

Who  gave  to  Jackson  the  name  of  “Stonewall”  at 
Manassas,  d3'ing  himself  like  a true  Defender,  a 
few  moments  after.  His  last  words  were  “They 
have  killed  me,  boys,  but  don’t  give  up  the  fight.” 


(II) 


Stonewall  Jackson  at  Manassas. 

(Death  of  Bee.)  (From  “Confederate  Soldier  of  the  Civil  War. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  iSg 

tie  sweetness  of  his  home-life.  When  any  jar  occurred  and 
domestic  affairs  annoyed,  he  would  say,  "Ah,  that  is  not  the 
way  to  be  happy.” 

Within  a year  he  had  his  own  home  and  a picture  is  given 
of  the  house,  which  is  yet  standing.  Some  changes  have  been 
made  in  the  building,  but  the  general  appearance  is  about  as 
when  he  left  it  to  enter  the  army.*  He  furnished  his  home  with 
comforts,  everything  being  substantial  but  simple.  It  was  pro- 
nounced an  ideal  Christian  home.  He  took  special  delight 
in  providing  comforts  for  his  home. 

Order  and  system  was  as  much  a part  of  his  life  as  breath- 
ing. He  would  have  a "place  for  everything  and  everything 
in  its  place.”  His  life  as  a military  man,  besides  his  personal 
inclination,  prompted  this.  Methodical  management,  as  he 
expressed  it,  made  every  door  “on  golden  hinges  softly  turn.” 

In  Lexington  he  had  been  called  by  some  of  the  cadets  and 

* The  following  description  of  the  Jackson  residence  in  Lexington,  is 
clipped  from  a newspaper  letter,  written  in  the  fall  of  1899  by  a bright 
female  correspondent;  “After  such  a supper  as  one  gets  nowhere  else, 
and  a good  night’s  rest,  we  drove  to  Stonewall  Jackson’s  old  home, 
which  is  but  a short  distance  from  the  hotel.  An  odd,  old-fashioned 
house,  built  partly  of  brick,  partly  of  unhewn  stone,  rapidly  going  to 
decay,  stands  on  the  corner  of  a narrow  village  street.  The  only  evi- 
dences of  a garden  lie  at  the  back,  where  the  thick  grass  is  dotted  with 
a few  field  daisies  and  interspersed  with  wild  thyme  and  pennyroyal. 
The  front  steps  and  porch,  which  once  led  into  the  building,  were  de- 
troyed  a short  time  since  by  fire,  and  as  Mrs.  Jackson  could  not  af- 
ford to  replace  them,  the  front  entrance  now  is  a plain  door  on  tjHi 
street  and  a dark  flight  of  stairs  up  to  the  living  part  of  the  house.  At 
the  head  of  this  stair  to  the  right  is  the  room  once  used  by  Gen.  Jack- 
son  as  an  office.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  hall  is  the  family  sitting 
room  or  parlor,  Facing  the  stair  is  a bedroom  opening  into  a wide 
piazza,  which  runs  across  the  back  of  the  house.  One  end  of  this  piazza 
had  been  enclosed  as  a kind  of  storeroom,  and  there  still  stands  the 
nails  driven  by  the  hand  of  him  whose  sword-thrusts  were  felt  in  the 
heart  of  a nation.  The  dining  room  is  on  the  first  floor,  and  the  third 
floor  is  devoted  to  sleeping  apartments.  The  place  still  belongs  to  Mrs. 
Jackson,  but  is  rented  as  a lodging  house  for  the  small  sum  of  fifteen 
dollars  per  month.  What  a commentary  upon  the  patriotism  of  our 
people ! While  the  bones  of  John  Brown’s  band  of  murderers  are  being 
inurned  under  marble  monuments,  the  home  of  the  ‘Young  Napoleon 
of  the  West’  is  going  to  ruin  in  the  hands  of  strangers.” 


190  Story  of  Stonewalt  Jacicson. 

others,  “Iron  Duke.’’  This  name  was  suggested  by  his  delib- 
erate manner  and  salute,  which  no  doubt  resembled  the  man- 
ner of  the  Iron  Duke,  as  he  would  walk  along  the  streets  of 
London, 

Jackson’s  title  differed  from  Wellington,  “Iron  Duke,’’ 
in  that  while  he,  Jackson,  got  his  sobriquet  “Stone- 
wall” by  his  firm,  immovable,  battle-front  at  Manassas,  being 
there  called  “Stonewall”  (a  rock  fence  or  wail),  Welling- 
ton became  known  as  “Iron  Duke”  by  being  confused  with 
the  name  of  an  iron  boat  called  “Iron  Duke,”  in  honor  of 
Duke  Wellington,  it  is  said. 

In  his  home  he  was  a mild,  affectionate  man.  A 
Southern  authoress,  Mrs.  Preston,  who  knew  General  Jackson 
in  his  home  life,  thus  speaks  of  him,  “he  was  a modern  knight 
of  King  Arthur’s  Round  Table.  Any  one  could  see  that 
‘Stonewall  Jackson’  was  as  true  a hero  as  Bayard,  or  Raleigh 
or  Sidney.  The  clouds  which  to  his  enemies  in  war  were 
only  ‘night  and  tempest’  at  his  home  disappeared.  There  was 
nothing  but  silver  linings  to  the  skies  there.  In  his  house  the 
law  of  love  reigned;  his  own  pattern  was  the  chief  stimulus 
of  duty.  Jackson  well  merited  Bayard  Taylor’s  lines, 

‘The  bravest  are  the  tenderest. 

The  loving  are  the  daring.’  ” 

He  was  the  soul  of  hospitality,  and  particularly  welcomed 
ministers  of  the  gospel.  Plis  wife  says  his  home  life  was  all 
sunshine,  and  he  had  no  trace  of  “official  dignity”  there.  A 
domestic  man  in  the  broadest  sense,  he  did  not  interfere  with 
his  wife’s  affairs,  but  provided  well  for  every  department. 

He  would  work  in  his  own  garden  and  his  early  experience 
on  his  uncle’s  farm,  gave  him  practical  ways  of  cultivating 
his  garden.  He  always  had  plenty  of  vegetables  for  home  and 
gave  quantities  away.  He  had  a farm  also  and  cultivated  that 
with  his  negroes.  It  was  not  a large  farm,  only  twenty  acres. 
It  was  situated  just  at  the  edge  of  town.  He  sold  this  farm 
during  the  war  and  practically  devoted  the  proceeds  to  the  aid 
of  the  Confederate  government,  that  is,  he  invested  the  money 
in  Confederate  bonds.  Upon  another  occasion  General  Jack- 
son  proved  his  faith  not  only  by  risking  his  life  for  the  cause 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  igi 

of  his  country,  but  declining  to  accept  moneys,  the  payment  to 
him  of  which,  would  have  taken  something  from  the  treasury 
of  his  government,  the  Confederacy.  Had  more  of  those  men 
who  were  so  extremely  read^"  to  talk  about  war,  and  who 
owned  numbers  of  slaves,  which  it  was  very  evident  the  In- 
vaders intended  to  deprive  them  of,  followed  Jackson’s  un- 
selfish and  patriotic  example  in  their  power  to  sustain  the 
treasury  of  the  Confederacy,  there  might  have  been  a solution 
of  the  war’s  ending,  sooner.  Jackson  sold  his  only  farm. 
Many  men  owned  plantations.  These  days  have  past  and 
gone.  In  some  families  the  second  generation  is  born,  but  the 
failure  of  their  ancestors  to  sustain  the  government,  rather 
than  speculate  upon  it,  will  rest  as  a visitation  of  patriotic 
scorn. 

Regarding  the  personal  habits  of  Jackson,  we  are  told  that 
he  rose  at  six  in  the  morning  regularly,  and  immediately  knelt 
in  secret  prayer ; after  which  he  took  a cold  bath,  never  omit- 
ting his  bath  at  any  season  of  the  year ; then  went  for  a walk 
which  he  took  whether  the  weather  was  balmy  or  stormy  (he 
had  preparations  for  rainy  mornings,  such  as  rubber  overcoats, 
boots,  etc.)  ; was  always  fresh  and  ready  on  returning  from 
these  walks. 

At  seven  o’clock  he  held  family  worship,  requiring  the  ser- 
vants to  be  present.  He  did  not  wait  for  any  one,  not  even 
for  his  wife,  but  as  the  clock  struck  seven,  began  the  morning 
worship.  After  prayers,  came  breakfast ; immediately  follow- 
ing which,  he  went  to  the  Institute  as  his  first  class  recited  at 
eight  o’clock.  At  eleven  he  returned  to  his  home  and  studied 
until  one.  The  first  book  he  took  up  was  invariably  the  Bible 
which  he  studied  with  commentaries,  and  made  many  marks 
upon  the  same,  that  are  yet  to  be  seen  in  his  Bible,  the  one 
used  by  him. 

He  did  not  sit  down  to  study,  but  stood  at  a high  desk 
which  he  had  made  specially  for  the  purpose.  He  permitted 
no  one  to  come  near  him  while  engaged  in  his  studies.  He  had 
this  high  desk  arranged  at  the  exact  height  most  suited  to  his 
desire,  and  where  the  light  would  be  most  effective.  How 
many  men  or  women  are  there  who  stand  while  studying? 


1^2  Stoky  of  vStoyewall  Jackson. 

We  must  remember,  too,  that  his  eyes  were  weak,  and  many 
times  he  was  compelled  to  close  his  eyes  and  turn  his  face  to 
the  wall  until  he  had  fixed  the  subjects  under  his  preparation 
firmly  in  his  mind. 

It  is  refreshing  in  these  days  of  hollowness  in  general,  to 
read  Mrs.  Jackson’s  book  in  which  she  tells  of  the  companion 
of  her  young  life,  as  the  bride  of  this  wonderful  man,  giving 
in  unsophisticated  candor  accounts  of  their  happy  days,  and 
of  his  talks  with  her  in  their  home,  or  while  they  rode  in  their 
buggy  through  the  beautiful  country  or  walked  together.  Fre- 
quently, she  says,  they  would  drive  out  to  their  little  farm, 
where  he  would  leave  the  conveyance  in  some  shady  spot,  and 
with  the  fervor  of  a lover,  bid  her  adieu,  while  he  would  go 
and  probably  aid  the  negroes  in  some  little  task  or  attend  to 
other  business  connected  with  the  farm. 

She  tells  of  the  love  and  tenderness  of  her  husband  and  of 
the  devotion  manifested  in  those  little  attentions  a woman  so 
loves  to  receive  from  her  ‘‘liege  lord”  ; all  of  these  he  gave  to 
her.  Their  rides  in  the  moonlight,  their  walks  along  the  beau- 
tiful roads  about  this  scenic  country.  Of  his  strict  attention 
to  his  duties ; but  at  all  times,  paying  court  to  his  wife,  when 
not  absorbed  by  them. 

After  supper  he  would  not  at  once  resume  his  studies ; but 
waited  awhile,  as  he  wisely  said,  “To  study  immediately  after 
eating,  is  not  treating  the  brain  right.”  He  would  not  use  his 
eyes  at  night  and  had  to  study  from  memory.  When  thus  en- 
gaged, his  face  turned  to  the  wall,  and  perfectly  motionless, 
he  would  tell  his  wife,  if  she  were  present,  not  to  speak,  as  he 
wished  to  be  undisturbed  while  mentally  preparing  his  lessons 
for  the  next  day,  and  yet  if  company  or  friends  were  present, 
he  would  not  disturb  their  conversation  but  sit  there  oblivious 
to  their  presence  and  study. 

His  study  hour  over,  he  would  turn  with  a bright  smile,  and 
the  rest  of  the  evening  he  would  be  as  free  from  abstraction  as 
a boy,  Jackson,  as  said,  would  study  in  this  manner  when 
company  was  in  the  room,  and  not  allow  their  talking  to  dis- 
turb him;  but  he  preferred  quiet  if  in  obtaining  same,  he  did. 


Story  of  Stonewatl  Jackson.  193 

not  give  any  one  annoyance.  He  would  not  tolerate  the  idea 
of  placing  any  one  to  any  annoyance  or  inconvenience. 

Every  summer  he  would  take  his  wife  and  make  a tour  of 
the  North.  On  one  of  these  trips  he  visited  Forti'ess  Monroe, 
where  he  studied  every  detail  of  this  fortification.  He  also 
visited  Cape  May,  and  enjoyed  the  surf  bathing.  Nearly  every 
summer  he  went  to  New  York  City  for  a few  days. 

Jackson  owned  few  slaves.  The  first  one  he  bought  was  a 
man  who  came  to  him  and  begged  him  to  buy  him,  which  he 
agreed  to  do,  with  the  understanding  that  the  negro  could  pay 
him  back  the  purchase  money,  by  “working  out.”  This  man 
was  taken  sick  once,  and  Jackson  visited  him  regularly,  he  had 
him  moved  to  his  own  place  and  had  the  two  house  maids  to 
wait  on  him.  On  one  occasion,  he  returned  home  convulsed 
with  laughter.  The  negro  had  told  him  that  he  had  never 
been  “bedevilled”  so  in  his  life,  as  he  was  by  these  two  wo- 
men. This  amused  him  greatly. 

The  next  slave  he  purchased  was  an  old  woman  who  was 
about  to  be  sold  for  debt,  and  who  came  to  him  and  plead  with 
him  to  buy  her,  which  he  did.  She  served  him  faithfully  as 
cook  and  was  a “treasure,”  we  are  told.  After  the  war  came 
on  this  old  woman  died,  and  Jackson  paid  all  the  expenses  of 
her  sickness  and  burial.  He  was  in  the  battle-field  and  busy  with 
war,  when  he  received  the  news  of  her  death  by  a letter  which, 
in  genuine  charity,  few  letters  excel.  She  sent  a message  to 
her  master  full  of  grateful  memories  for  his  goodness  to  her. 
He  had  all  matters  concerning  her  funeral  or  burial  attended 
to,  even  though  war  was  about  him  everywhere. 

Any  one  who  imagines  Jackson  entered  the  army  to  protect 
slavery  is  not  advised  properly  and  in  fact  is  blind  with 
prejudice.  Like  thousands  of  others  in  the  army  of  the  De- 
fenders, he  owned  very  little  of  such  property  as  slaves ; 
many  in  the  army  owned  no  slaves.  Southern  men  fought 
for  home  and  independence^  for  their  Constitutional  rights. 

One  of  his  house-servants  was  a woman  named  Hettie,  who 
was  sent  from  North  Carolina  to  Mrs.  Jackson,  as  a gift  from 
her  father.  This  woman  came  all  the  way  from  there  to 
Virginia  alone,  and  at  one  of  the  points  where  she  was  to 


194  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

change  cars  was  asked  where  she  was  going;  she  said:  “To 
Virginie,  but  the  Lord  knows  when  I’ll  get  there.”  She 
made  the  trip  and  was  overcome  with  joy  when  she  found  her 
“young  mistiss.” 

This  faithful  old  servant  went  back  to  North  Carolina 
alone ; and  at  a station  some  one  picked  up  her  trunk,  when 
she  told  them  to  ‘■‘‘put  do'ivn  that  trunks  that's  Gen'ral  yack- 
son's  trunk."  She  was  finally  made  the  nurse  of  Jackson’s 
only  child,  Julia,  and  was  with  him  as  nurse  to  his  child, 
when  he  was  wounded;  and  wept  bitterly  at  his  death,  say- 
ing she  had  lost  “her  best  friend.” 

Jackson  trained  his  servants  well.  He  exacted  strictest 
obedience,  but  at  all  times  was  just.  If  one  left  the  room 
without  closing  the  door,  he  would  calmly  wait  until  they 
were  gone,  then  would  follow  them  and  have  them  return  and 
close  the  door.  This  impressed  his  rule  upon  them.  He  had 
dl  his  servants  taught  something  useful,  and  they  were  trained 
to  fear  the  Lord  and  serve  Him. 

There  was  another  member  of  his  household,  a handsome 
bay  horse,  very  spirited  but  gentle.  He  always  called  this 
your  horse,  when  speaking  of  it  to  his  wife.  Indeed  he  spoke 
of  himself  to  his  wife,  as  “your  husband,”  and  of  all  his  be. 
longings  as  jKuwrj.  “Your  house,”  “your  cap,”  “your  salary,” 
etc. 

Jackson  was  the  essence  of  consideration  and  kindness. 
Once  a gentleman  spent  the  night  at  his  home,  and  had  with 
him  a little  girl  who  had  never  been  separated  from  her  moth- 
er before.  His  generous  heart  went  out  to  the  child  in  her 
distress.  He  suggested  that  she  be  given  into  the  keeping  of 
Mrs.  Jackson  for  the  night,  but  the  child  clung  to  her  father. 

Late  in  the  night  after  all  was  silent,  and  the  child  and  her 
father  were  sound  asleep,  the  father  was  aroused  by  some  one 
gently  drawing  the  cover  over  her.  He  woke  to  find  this 
person  no  one  but  his  host,  Major  Jackson,  who  could  not 
sleep  until  he  was  satisfied  that  the  child  was  comfortable 
under  his  roof. 

Jackson  was  a surprise  to  every  one,  and  at  times  even  to 
his  wife.  She  writes  of  an  occasion  when  she  confesses  her- 


Story  of  Stonewarl  Jackson.  it- 

self surprised  by  him.  One  morning  he  had  been  out  early  as 
usual  in  command  of  an  artillery  drill.  He  returned  dressed 
in  full  regimentals : the  commencement  exercises  of  the  In- 
stitute were  in  progress. 

He  came  up  to  his  wife  drawing  his  sword,  and  playfully 
began  to  brandish  it  over  her  head,  looking  as  savage  as  a 
“Blue-beard,”  asking  her  if  she  was  not  frightened.  She 
was  not  exactly  afraid,  but  his  acting  was  so  real  that  she 
trembled;  seeing  this,  he  threw  down  his  sword  and  took  her 
into  his  arms  in  great  glee  and  caresses. 

He  seemed  to  take  a boyish  delight  in  playfully  scaring  his 
wife.  He  would  often,  when  hearing  her  approach,  jump 
from  behind  a half  open  door  and  catch  her  -with  a springing 
caress.  To  him  his  home  was  one  spot  at  which  he  could 
bring  up  the  joys  of  his  real  nature  and  show  his  capability  of 
feeling  and  demonstration,  when  moments  were  his  and  not 
the  world’s,  for  that  he  belonged  to  the  world  in  part,  his 
whole  life  shows. 

In  the  spring  of  1859,  Mrs.  Jackson’s  health  being  poor, 
her  husband  took  her  where  she  could  receive  such  medical 
treatment  as  she  needed.  This  was  their  first  separation,  as 
he  had  to  return  to  his  classes.  He  felt  this  deeply,  and  his 
letters  to  her  while  away  show  much  tenderness.  In  them 
he  tells  her  everything  about  their  home,  the  flowers,  the 
garden,  servants  and  all  that  would  interest  a young  wife 
parted  from  her  home,  and  a sufferer  from  ill  health  among 
strangers. 

* In  Jackson’s  letters  there  is  so  much  to  learn  that  one  to  re- 
alize the  beauty  of  their  composition,  as  well  as  their  natural- 
ness, must  read  them.  He  wrote  with  a peculiar  ease,  direct- 
ness and  expression  that  ver3^  few  possess.  There  is  nothing 
of  the  literary  flourish  or  studied  rhetoric  about  them.  They 
speak  to  the  heart  alone.  There  is  about  them  the  breath  of 
spring,  the  dews  of  morning,  the  winds  of  fragrant  summer, 
the  song  of  evening  birds  and  the  night  thoughts  of  God. 

The  day  will  come  when  every  letter,  every  word,  written 
bj'  him  will  be  held  in  superlative  esteem  throughout  the  world. 
Already  a man  famed  in  continents  has  plead  for  “any  little 


196  SroKY  OF  Stonewalf  Jackson. 

note  written  by  Stonewall  Jackson,”  adding  in  his  petition, 
‘‘I  should  so  prize  it.”  We  hope  the  honored  request  of  this 
great  British  General  was  granted  by  Jackson’s  family. 

In  the  summer  of  1859  Mrs.  Jackson  went  to  the  Rockbridge 
Bath  Springs,  while  her  husband  went  to  the  White  Sulphur 
Springs,  as  the  health  of  the  former  was  not  equal  to  the  long 
stage  ride.  While  at  the  White  Sulphur,  Jackson  wrote,  ‘‘1 
am  tired  of  this  place  and  v.  ould  not  give  my  little  pet  for  all 
the  people  here.”  In  his  absence  was  somewhat  consoled 
by  hearing  the  eminent  divine  from  South  Carolina,  Dr.  Thorn- 
well.  In  his  letter  telling  of  this  famous  preacher’s  sermon, 
Jackson  shows  a thorough  understanding  of  the  subject  of  the 
sermon  and  writes  of  it  like  a theologian. 

During  the  fall  of  that  same  year,  Mrs.  Jackson  visited  her 
home  in  North  Carolina,  and  while  there  Jackson  wrote  her 
this  letter,  which  we  quote  as  a specimen  of  his  little  letter- 
talks  with  his  absent  wife.  “I  am  writing  at  my  desk,  which 
I have  raised  so  high  that  it  makes  me  stand  up'  straight.  I 
watered  your  flowers  this  morning,  and  hoed  another  row  of 
turnips,  and  expect  to  hill  some  of  the  celery  this  evening 
Your  old  man  at  home  (it  will  be  seen  Jackson  referred  to 
himself  as  ‘old’)  is  taking  good  care  of  one  somebody’s  flower 
slips,  and  they  are  looking  very  nicely.  ' 

‘‘Yesterday  I went  into  the  kitchen  and  sealed  some  jars  of 
tomatoes,  and  Hettie  has  put  up  many  jars  besides,  of  plums 
and  other  fruits,  so  that  we  shall  be  well  supplied  this  winter. 
I hope  they  will  keep  well.  ‘‘I  hope  that  my  little  somebody 
is  feeling  as  lively  as  a lark ; be  as  happy  as  a spring  butter 
fly.”  In  a later  letter  he  wrote,  ‘‘I  buried  this  morning  ninety- 
nine  heads  of  your  cabbage  for  winter  use.”  Neither  he 
nor  Mrs.  Jackson  would  write,  read,  mail  or  send  a letter  on 
Sunday. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


EXECUTION  OF  JOHN  BROWN.  JACKSON  IN  COMMAND  OF  AR- 
TILLERY THERE.  WAR  CLOUDS.  HE  DEPLORES  WAR, 
PLEADS  FOR  PEACE.  FEW  OF  HIS  VIEWS  AS  TO 
THE  south’s  WITHDRAWING  FROM  THE 
UNION.  HISTORIES. 

So  violent  had  become  many  political  leaders  outside  the  • 
South,  and  so  frenzied  had  grown  the  leaders  of  the  anti- 
Southern,  anti-slave  and  anti  nearly  everything  else  connected 
with  the  vSouth,  that  Governor  Wise  ordered  out  the  State 
militia  to  prevent  violence  at  the  execution  of  John  Brown  and 
other  murderers,  and  this  brought  Jackson  into  arms  again. 

Jackson  writes  his  wife,  then  in  North  Carolina,  on  No- 
vember 28,  1859,  from  Charlestown,  Virginia  (now  West  Vir- 
ginia), stating  that  he  had  reached  there  the  night  before  with 
the  cadets  and  the  artillery  from  Lexington.  He  tells  her  there 
are  about  a thousand  troops  at  Charlestown,  and  everything 
was  quiet  at  that  moment,  and  not  to  feel  uneasy  about  him. 

On  December  2nd,  he  writes  her  a long  letter,' which,  for 
clearness,  is  much  the  best  description  of  that  event  so  impor- 
tant in  the  history  of  this  country,  we  have  ever  seen.  Not 
once  did  he  refer  to  anything  of  the  political  bearings  of  the 
occasion  ; his  interest  seemed  to  be  entirely,  as  far  the  event 
was  concerned,  in  Brown’s  soul.  He  said,  “Brown  refused  to 
allow  a minister  to  see  him  and  he  feared  Brown  would  miss 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.”  No  doubt  about  this. 

Brown  was  taken  from.  Harper’s  Ferry,  where  he  was  cap- 
tured, to  Charlestown,  about  twenty  miles,  where  he  was  tried 
by  the  courts.  He  was  hung  December  2d,  and  about  two 
weeks  afterwards  the  rest  of  his  survivors — those  captured — 
were  treated  with  the  same  high  recognition  of  their  crimes. 
Jackson  returned  with  thp  cadets  on  the  third  of  December; 
this  was  the  only  time  during  his  marriage  that  he  ever  ac- 
companied the  cadets,  until  he  took  them  to  the  war  in  1861. 

Concerning  negroes  and  slavery,  apart  from  the  offensive 

features  of  any  kind  of  bondage,  the  negroes  were  greatly 
197 


198  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

blessed  by  slavery.  In  their  native  country  they  were  savages 
in  most  part,  and  were  under  severest  and  most  desperate 
tribal  terroas  almost  constantly.  As  slaves  in  the  South  they 
had  many  comforts,  the  advantages  of  religion,  and  were  a 
happy  people.  Happier  by  far  than  the  negro  will  ever  be 
again  in  or  out  of  the  South. 

In  the  summer  of  i860.  Major  Jackson  as  usual  took  his  va- 
cation, and  on  this  trip  went  up  into  New  England.  He  was 
considerably  exhausted  by  the  steady  confinement  at  the  In- 
stitute, and  finding  a suitable  location,  he  began  his  favorite 
treatment  of  hydropathy.  He  improved  at  once.  And  see- 
ing his  health  improved,  Mrs,  Jackson  tried  his  plan  and  her 
strength  which  was  below  par,  returned.  She  remained  after 
her  husband  went  back  to  his  classes.  While  in  the  North, 
they  saw  many  indications  of  approaching  trouble  between 
the  States,  and'-although  many  talked  with  Jackson,  he  would 
not  allow  himself  to  be  drawn  out  in  a political  sense  upon 
the  subject.  A South  Carolinian  who  was  there  with  his  wife 
could  not  endure  the  impudence  and  insolence  of  some  of  the 
people,  and  was  in  hot  water  over  politics  constantly.  These 
same  men  Jackson  associated  with,  but  evaded  any  collision. 

Jackson  kept  up  his  daily  correspondence,  or  '■'■reporting,'" 
with  his  absent  wife,  and  nothing  is  written  about  politics. 
All  letters  relate  to  their  home  and  matters  of  personal  interest. 
He  perfected  the  most  minute  arrangements  for  her  journe}^ 
home.  In  one  of  his  letters  he  speaks  of  the  poultry,  and 
calls  the  porcelain  egg  in  a nest  a Deaver  " as  it  was  gotten 
of  a man  by  that  name. 

In  February,  1861,  Mrs.  Jackson  returned  to  North  Carolina 
to  assist  in  arranging  for  the  marriage  of  her  sister  to  Mr. 
Avery ; and  while  there  political  excitement  ran  high  all  over 
the  country,  and  yet  her  husband,  whom  she  knew  was  to  take 
part  in  the  threatened  struggle,  as  he  was  a patriot,  never 
mentions  the  subject  to  her.  No  doubt  he  knew  her  anxiety 
and  spared  her. 

There  is  a sense  of  sadness  when  we  read  of  Jackson’s  hap- 
py life,  and  see  hovering  over  his  home  the  angry  clouds  of 
war.  We  know  Jackson  is  a man  upon  whom  the  country 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  199 

will  lean,  and  soon  he  will  walk  from  his  closet  of  prayer, 
and  command  peace  to  retire,  while  grim-visaged  war  stalks 
before  him,  closing  the  door  against  peace  forever. 

He  has  not  touched  a single  fuse  to  public  passion,  or  politi- 
cal and  sectional  envy  and  hate.  He  knew  the  creed  of  war, 
not  as  a demagogue,  but  as  a mighty  man  of  battles.  Before 
him  stretched  the  plains  of  the  valley  he  loved  so  well.  Above 
him  towered  the  blue  mountains  where  his  eyes  were  often 
fixed  as  his  soul  poured  forth  its  song  in  prayer  to  God.  His 
was  a future  of  great  promise  in  the  walks  of  peace,  and  he 
deplored  war. 

A year  before  the  war  came,  but  after  he  had  been  to  the 
the  execution  of  John  Brown  as  an  officer  in  charge  of  artil- 
lery, he  knew  that  war  was  coming,  and  wrote  his  aunt,  Mrs. 
Neale,  January  21st,  i860,  among  other  things,  the  follow- 
ing : “What  do  you  think  of  the  state  of  the  country?  View- 
ing things  at  Washington,  from  human  appearances,  I think 
we  have  great  reason  for  alarm,  but  my  trust  is  in  God;  and 
I cannot  think  He  will  permit  the  madness  of  men  to  inter- 
fere so  materially  with  the  Christian  labors  of  this  country,  at 
home  and  abroad.” 

A distinguished  jurist,  and  who  was  personally  acquainted 
with  Jackson,  in  a lecture  upon  Jackson,  quotes  these  words; 
“The  corps  of  cadets  a few  months  before  the  war  com- 
menced, marched  upon  the  town  of  Lexington,  on  hearing  that 
a number  of  their  comrades  had  been  attacked  by  Union  citi- 
zens. It  was  Saturday  and  the  absent  professors  hearing  of 
the  move,  met  and  persuaded  them  to  return  to  barracks. 
After  getting  back  Colonel  Smith  and  others  made  addresses 
of  advice,  and  Jackson  was  loudly  called  for.  His  speech  was 
about  this  : “Young  gentlemen,  draw  the  sword  only  as  a 
last  resort,  but  when  you  draw  it,  throw  the  scabbard  away.” 

Some  writers  of  books  on  the  life  of  Jackson  have  discussed 
the  issues  of  war  between  the  States,  but  we  have  been  pro- 
foundly impressed  by  the  absence  of  any  considerable  record 
of  what  yackson  himself  said  or  wrote  on  the  subject  so  vital 
at  the  time  war  was  forming.  This  is  to  be  greatly  regretted, 
and  can  only  be  accounted  for  on  the  hypothesis  of  his  gen- 


300 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


eral  indisposition  to  talk  much  about  matters  in  which  he  was 
to  take  part ; and  he  reasonably  assumed  he  would  be  depend- 
ed upon  to  take  part  in  the  war,  as  he  was  not  a man  to  shirk 
duty. 

It  is  well  known  that  Jackson  was  for  the  Union,  and,  at 
the  same  time,  he  was  a Democrat  of  the  strictest  type,  and 
one  of  the  States  Rights  stamp.  There  can  be  not  the  shadow 
of  doubt  about  this.  He  was  never  a man  who  made  politics 
a kind  of  stock  in  trade,  for  any  purpose  whatever;  he  was 
never  “professional”  in  any  thing. 

He  voted  for  John  C.  Breckenridge,  and  did  not  vote  for 
him,  on  any  other  grounds,  than  that  he  believed  Brecken- 
ridge would  save  the  Union  if  elected.  To  fight  inside  the 
U?iion  'Was  his  doctrine.  He  was  never  a secessionist ; like 
nearly  all  sound  Southern  men,  he  was  forced  into  the  war  by 
the  course  of  the  North  toward  the  South.  He  was  uncom- 
promising in  his  demand  for  the  independence  of  the  South, 
once  her  rights  were  assailed. 

Virginia,  which  had  done  so  much  for  the  South  and  all 
portions  of  the  Union,  was  friendly  with  all,  but  as  her  inten- 
tions were  so  misjudged,  and  as  she  saw  her  sisters  of  the 
South  beingyb^ced,  she  could  no  longer  remain  in  the  Union. 
Fort  Sumter  experience,  April  13,  i86i,  settled  matters  as  far 
as  Jackson  was  concerned,  and  when  Lincoln  called  for 
seventy-five  thousand  troops,  April  17,  to  invade  the  South, 
Jackson  was  in  the  toils  of  his  most  determined  devotion  to 
his  State  and  the  South,  and  'was  ready  to  fiollo-w  her  fortunes 
to  the  bitter  end.,  •which  he  did.,  and  never  lefit  her  service  an 
hour. 

Before  Virginia  seceded  her  Legislature  passed  resolutions 
asking  all  States  to  meet  in  Washington  (twenty-three  States 
sent  delegates)  and  devise  some  basis  of  a peaceful  solution  of 
the  pending  troubles.  This  “Peace  Congress,”  which  met  in 
February,  1861,  failed;  and  its  history  is  to  this  day  unwritten, 
as  far  as  truth  is  concerned;  the  “Peace  Congress,”  by  its 
course,  not  only  began  in  earnest  to  awaken  the  whole  people 
of  the  continent  to  the  fact  that  the  North  intended  to  force 
the  South,  but  illustrates  as  well,  the  real  spirit  of  this  coun- 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


201 


^ly  upon  matters  into  which  sectional  differences  enter.  We 
do  not  believe  that  any  arbitrators  to  which  questions  are  sub- 
mitted involving  sectional  differences,  will  ever  effect  satis- 
factory results,  but  prove,  as  did  this  Peace  Congress,  futile 
experiments. 

Since  the  war  for  Southern  independence  the  people  of  the 
South  have  borne  for  over  a quarter  of  a century  the  injustice 
done  this  section  by  the  so-called  historians,  who  were  either 
misinformed  or  purposely  unfair.  These  histories  have  done 
much  to  keep  up  sectional  strife,  and  it  is  hoped  that  men  and 
women,  both  of  the  North  and  the  South,  will  employ  some 
able  man  whose  character  and  reputation  for  conservatism 
and  truth  will  enable  him  to  write  impartial  history.  We 
have  heard  of  a plan,  and  it  has  been  advocated  in  the  press, 
to  adjust  our  historical  differences  and  produce  an  unsectional 
history;  that  a commission  be  elected,  divided  equally  between 
Northern  and  Southern  writers  and  supplying  them  with  all 
the  facts  possible  to  be  obtained,  from  the  time  Columbus 
dreamed  of  discovering  this  continent  until  the  hour  such  com- 
mission rises  finally,  to  report  its  deliberations  and  conclusions 
in  the  form  of  a complete  United  States  history. 

Such  commission,  we  would  think,  is  liable  to  meet  many 
difficulties,  and  while  we  would  not  be  confronted  with  white 
heat  that  surrounded  the  Peace  Congress  of  i86i,  for  at  that 
Peace  Congress  there  were  men  who  were  conspiring  to  delib- 
erately overthrow  the  government,  paralyze  every  possible  op- 
position to  their  schemes  of  abolition,  the  establishment  of  an 
oligarchy  with  all  its  imperialistic  and  centralizational  ele- 
ments to  reduce  the  Southern  States  to  colonial  dependencies, 
and,  if  possible,  reduce  them  to  serfdom,  by  destroying  their 
property  and  impoverishing  them  to  helplessness.  But  the 
suggested  historical  commission  would  find  many  places  where 
the  waters  and  the  oils  would  fail  to  mix.  So  great  and 
straightforward  a patriot  as  Jackson  could  not  agree  with  the 
course  pursued  toward  the  South ; and  in  arguing  for  one  sub- 
ject, this  simple,  solitary,  and  one  lone  instance  (and  tens  of 
thousands  shared  the  same  impression  and  opinion  held  with 


202 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


Jackson)  a commission  would  find  much  difficulty  in  arriving 
at  a satisfactory  conclusion. 

We  make  one  suggestion,  however,  while  referring  to  this 
historical  unpleasantness,  that  has  been  the  cause  of  so  much 
harm  in  stirring  up  one  section  against  another  ; it  is  this,  that 
the  histories  used  in  school  omit  argument  on  part  of  the 
authors  of  histories,  and  simply  state  the  facts  as  they  are  re- 
corded, making  no  comments.  There  is  too  much  said  in  the 
histories  in  regard  to  the  war,  ’6i  to  ’65,  and  if  people  mean 
what  they  say  and  really  wish  to  see  the  country  united, 
memorialize  Congress,  which  is  the  arbitrating  body  supreme 
of  the  American  people,  the  United  States  Court  being  more 
or  less  political,  to  pass  resolutions — for  instance,  something 
like  this  : Whereas,  The  histories  of  the  United  States  used  in 
our  public  and  private  schools,  and  the  various  historians  and 
writers  in  this  and  other  countries  present  two  sides  of  the 
causes  and  conditions  that  led  up  to  war  between  the  States  of 
the  Union;  and  Whereas,  It  is  the  desire  of  the  people  of  the 
United  States  now  living  to  have  the  present  generation  and 
posterity,  to  live  in  peace  and  harmony  as  one  people,  under 
one  common  patriotism  and  common  history,  Be  it  resolved  ; 
That  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  in  body  assembled, 
request  the  historians  and  writers  to  desist  from  casting  reflec- 
tions upon  any  section  of  the  Union  that  will  cause  bitterness 
and  resentment  in  connection  with  accounts  of  the  great  war 
between  the  States ; and  Resolved  : That  the  war  grew  out  of 
a misinterpretation  of  the  Constitution  on  the  part  of  other 
certain  individuals,  and  an  overbearing  inclination  on  the  part 
of  other  certain  persons  whose  sentimentality  upon  the  subject 
of  slavery,  coupled  with  their  jealousy  of  the  princely  prosper- 
ity of  other  sections  of  the  Union,  inflamed  the  weaker  to  acts 
of  violence,  both  through  Legislatures,  Congress,  and  the  ad- 
ministration ; and  Resolved ; That  the  States  comprising  the 
late  Confederacy  deserve  the  praise  of  the  world  for  their 
brave  and  patriotic  resistance  against  invasion,  usurpation, 
and  impoverishing  destruction ; and  that  they  join  hands  with 
their  brothers  from  other  sections  of  the  Union,  and  taking 
the  career  of  Jackson,  Howard  and  other  Christian  soldiers. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


203 


and  patriots,  as  examples  of  high  American  citizenship  and 
statesmanship,  forgive  and  forget ; that  the  people  of  the 
South  have  and  will  ever  have  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that 
they  were  faithful  in  every  crisis. 

If  some  such  action  as  this  can  be  had,  all  jest  laid  aside, 
history  would  be  more  satisfactorily  written. 

Until  history  is  written  in  truth  there  will  be  discord  in  the 
Union. 

After  the  failure  of  the  Peace  Commission,  Jackson  was 
hopeless  of  war  being  averted  and  waited  the  summons  to 
take  the  field.  He  went  to  his  pastor  in  whom  he  confided  at 
all  times,  and  we  repeat  here  a portion  of  the  conversation  be- 
tween him  and  his  pastor.  Jackson  said:  “If  the  general 
government  persists  in  the  measures  now  threatened,  there 
must  be  war.  It  is  painful  to  discover  with  what  unconcern 
they  speak  of  war,  and  threaten  it.  They  do  not  know  its 
horrors.  I have  seen  enough  of  it  to  make  me  look  upon  it 
as  the  sum  of  all  evils. 

“Should  the  step  be  taken  which  is  now  threatened,  we 
shall  have  no  alternative ; we  must  fight.  But  do  you  not 
think  that  all  the  Christian  people  of  the  land  could  be  in- 
duced to  unite  in  a concert  of  prayer,  to  avert  so  great  an 
evil  ? 

“It  seems  to  me  if  they  would  thus  unite  in  prayer,  war 
might  be  prevented  and  peace  preserved!”  His  pastor  fully 
agreed  with  him  and  promised  to  do  all  he  could  to  bring 
about  the  uniting  of  the  people  in  a concert  of  prayer  as  he 
proposed. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

u 

“peace?  peace?  there  is  no  peace”! JACKSON  CAELEn 

TO  THE  FRONT — HIS  I.AST  DAYS  AT  LEXINGTON. 

How  gloriously  the  lights  turn  on  Jackson,  withdrawing 
their  rays  from  the  demagogues,  both  North  and  South,  and 
the  ambitious,  thoughtless  and.selfish  politicians,  who  infested 
America  from  1840  to  i860!  This  man,  who  has  been  called 
ambitious,  calls  upon  the  church  and  pleads  with  Christians 
to  unite  in  invoking  divine  intervention,  that  peace  and  broth- 
erly love  would  prevail  in  the  land  of  our  forefathers,  and 
war  with  its  horrors  and  the  never-failing  consequences  of  a 
civil,  internecine  and  fratricidal  conflict,  be  averted. 

He  was  for  peace.  We  do  not  know^  his  views  concerning 
the  various  alleged  causes  that  brought  about  the  final  collis- 
ion, but  we  would  judge  that,  as  he  was  a man  of  deep  pene- 
tration, thoughtful,  and  advised  upon  current  affairs,  partic- 
ularly so  as  regard  to  matters  connected  in  any  way  with 
army  affairs,  that  he  was  thoroughly  cognizant  of  the  issues, 
and  certainly  he  possessed  as  much  personal  and  patriotic 
pride  as  any  man  in  any  portion  of  the  Union,  and  was  willing 
as  his  attitude  proves,  to  wait  and  let  calmer  thought  and 
Christian  consideration  take  possession  of  the  mind  of  the  men 
in  power;  believing,  no  doubt,  as  he  did,  so  firmly  in  the 
general  patriotism  of  the  Americans,  that  prudence,  to  say 
nothing  of  justice,  would  lead  them  into  a wise  and  conserv- 
ative solution  of  the  difficulties. 

Once  convinced  that  after  an  effort  had  been  made  by  men 
who,  like  himself,  preferred  peace  to  war,  and  were  even  wil- 
ling to  make  sacrifices  that  peace  be  preserved,  had 
failed  to  change  the  swollen  current  of  political  ambitions, 
and  that  these  men  in  the  North  were  determined  to  overthrow 
the  South  and  violate  every  compact,  even  the  sacredness  of  the 
constitution,  the  laws  and  statutes,  he  concluded  that  as  they 
had  thrown  the  wage  of  war,  there  w'as  no  alternative,  as  a 
lover  of  the  constitution  and  a descendant  of  men  who  fought 


^ Scene  in  Shenandoah  Valley — Cedar  Creek. 


Harper’s  Ferry — Showing  ^Hrginia  and  Maryland  “Heights.” 


Monument  and  Tablets,  Harper’s  Ferry, 
(B.  & O.  R.  R.) 


John  Brown’s  Fort — Harper’s  Ferry. 
(Taken  to  Chicago  in  1891.) 


The  Upper  Shenandoah  River,  N & \V,  R.  R From  “Peaceful  Scenes.” 


(12) 


Virginia  Valiev — Southern  R.  R. 


Shenandoah  \'alley,  Va. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  209 

for  American  liberty,  but  to  offer  his  sword  in  behalf  of  the 
cause  of  Southern  independence. 

Mrs.  Jackson  relates  that  upon  more  than  one  occasion,  he 
told  her  with  great  emphasis  and  the  intensity  of  his  nature  : 
“ 0/^,  ho~M  I do  deprecate  'vearP''  Yes,  and  thousands  of 
' other  men  whose  death  in  that  w^ar  deprived  Southern  families 
of  father,  brother  and  son  alike  deprecated  war ; but  once  it 
%vas  forced  upon  them,  they  made  a record  that,  despite  the 
mad  jealousy  of  the  haters  of  the  South,  has  reflected  unend- 
ing glory  and  honor  upon  American  arms,  chivalry  and 
patriotism. 

In  another  portion  of  this  book  is  given  an  expression  of 
Jackson’s  opinion  of  war,  that  is,  war  guaged  by  the  stand- 
point from  which  the  South  was  compelled  to  look  upon 
it.  This  expression  from  Jackson  and  related  by  Dr.  Dabney, 
is  also  a guage  to  his  ideas  of  state  affairs. 

In  subsequent  conversations  with  friends,  he  is  said  to 
have  expressed  his  opinion  of  the  demoralization  of  civil 
strife.  His  views  were  verified  by  the  evils  that  beset  this 
country  from  that  war.  He  was  not  disturbed,  we  are  told, 
for  he  relied  on  his  God  and  personally  was  the  very  soul 
of  courage. 

After  the  election  in  i860  and  when  Jackson  could  no 
longer  doubt  the  signs  of  the  times.  Rev.  Dr.  Ramsey 
spent  with  him  a short  time,  and  says,  “One  morning  after 
family  prayers  were  over,  I was  so  distressed  at  the  situation 
of  affairs,  that  I expressed  my  feelings,  when  Jackson  said  : 

“Why  should  Christians  be  disturbed  about  the  dissolution 
of  the  Union  ? It  can  come  only  by  God’s  permission,  and 
will  only  be  permitted  if  for  His  people’s  good  ; for  does  He 
not  say,  ‘All  things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that 
love  God?’  ” 

“I  cannot  see  how  nve  should  be  distres.sed  about  such 
things,  whatever  be  the  consequences.”  The  Doctor  adds  : 
“That  faith  nothing  could  shake,  because  he  dwelt  in  the 
secret  places  of  the  Most  High,  under  the  pavilion  of  the 
Almighty.” 

On  the  question  of  slavery,  Jackson  held  the  opinion  that 


210 


Story  OF  Stonewall  Jackson. 


slavery  was  sanctioned  by  the  Creator,  who  had  made 
men  to  differ,  and  had  instituted  laws  for  the  bond  and  free ; 
he  accepted  slavery  as  he  found  it  in  the  Southern  States,  not 
a thing  desirable  in  itself,  but  as  allowed  by  Providence,  it 
was  not  his  business  to  determine  it. 

He  did  not  approve  of  slavery  as  far  as  he  was  personally 
concerned,  and  no  one  was  a greater  friend  to  the  slaves  than 
Jackson.  This  feature  of  his  life  we  have  frequently  referred 
to. 

Jackson  fought  for  the  constitutional  rights  of  the  South, 
and  any  one  who  imagines  he  fought  for  slavery  knows  noth- 
ing of  Jackson.  The  rights  of  the  South  included  the  slaves, 
and  he  fought  for  the  South. 

At  the  time  when  the  whole  country  was  filled  with  the 
alarms  of  war,  and  every  one  was  talking  about  it,  the  Presby- 
tery of  Lexington  met.  These  ecclesiastical  meetings  were  of 
much,  interest  to  Jackson.  He  always  enjoyed  entertaining 
the  ministers  at  his  home.  As  was  his  custom,  he  had  some  of 
the  delegates  at  his  home,  but,  to  his  bitter  disappointment, 
the  political  excitement  and  preparations  being  made  for  war 
called  him  away  from  his  home  almost  constantly. 

But  still  greater  was  his  disappointment  at  not  being  able 
to  get  to  any  of  the  meetings.  The  cadets  were  wild  with  the 
excitement,  for  they  wanted  to  go  to  the  front  at  once.  Com- 
panies were  forming  of  citizens,  drillings,  equipments  were 
being  rushed,  and  all  was  war,  war,  war!  In  the  midst  of 
this  excitement  came  the  news  from  Richmond  that  Virginia 
had  cast  her  lot  with  her  sister  Southern  States.  Noble  old 
Virginia!  “This  was  the  deathknell  of  all  hope  of  peace.” 

Jackson  was  ordered  to  Richmond  with  the  “more  advanced 
cadets,”  whom  the  governor  (Letcher)  said  were  needed  to 
drill  the  troops  arriving  there  from  all  parts  of  the  country. 
On  the  evening  of  April  20th.  being  Saturday,  Major  Jackson 
returned  to  his  home  and  told  his  wife  that  he  hoped  the  order 
for  the  troops  would  not  come  before  Monday. 

On  Sunday  morning  about  daylight  a messenger  came  to 
Jackson’s  home  and  rang  the  door  bell.  He  bore  an  order  for 
Jackson  to  bring  the  cadets  to  Richmond  immediately . He 


Story  of  Stoxewall  Jackson. 


2II 


DID  NOT  WAIT  FOR  BREAKFAST,  BUT  WENT  AT  ONCE  TO  THE 

Institute.  He  began  arrangements  to  move  the  troops,  and 
appointed  the  hour  of  one  o’clock  that  day  for  the  time  to 
march. 

He  returned  to  his  home  about  eleven,  having  in  the  mean- 
time sent  a note  to  his  pastor  to  come  to  the  Institute  and  have 
prayers  with  the  cadets  before  they  marched.  He  took  hi? 
breakfast  and  then  went  to  his  private  bedroom,  and  with  his 
wife  read  a chapter  in  Corinthians. 

This  chapter  began  : “For  we  know  if  our  earthly  house  of 
this  tabernacle  were  dissolved,  we  have  a building  of  God,  an 
house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens.”  And 
then,  kneeling  down,  he  committed  himself  and  her  whom  he 
loved  to  the  protecting  care  of  his  Father  in  heaven.  His  wife 
describes  the  prayer  as  tender  and  touching. 

His  voice  choked  with  emotion,  he  plead  earnestly  with  his 
Heavenly  Father  to  protect  his  wife  and  “if  consistent  with 
His  will,  to  avert  the  threatened  danger  and  grant  us  peace.” 
He  still  believed  that  he  would  soon  return  to  his  home,  and 
that  war  would  be  averted,  and  not  until  all  chance  of  peace 
was  gone  did  he  give  up  this  hope. 

“His  faith  in  the  success  of  the  cause  of  the  South  never 
wavered,”  and  if  he  ever  had  any  doubt  upon  this  subject  his 
wife  says  he  never  expressed  it  to  her.  He  left  no  record  of 
having  aught  but  firmest  faith  in  his  cause  and  its  final  success. 
Jackson  did  all  things  with  his  might,  and  his  trust  in  his  God 
and  faith  in  the  righteousness  of  the  cause  of  his  people  ever 
sustained  him  in  the  darkest  hours  of  the  war. 

To  use  the  tender  and  touching  words  of  his  wife,  “Ah, 
how  the  light  went  out  of  his  home  when  he  departed  from  it, 
on  that  beautiful  spring  day!  But  in  the  painful  separation, 
it  was  well  for  us  that  we  could  not  know  that  this  was  the 
final  breaking  up  of  our  happy  home  and  his  fiootstep  was  never 
again  to  cross  its  threshold. 

Dr.  White,  the  pastor  of  Jackson’s  church,  went  to  the  In- 
stitute to  hold  a short  religious  service  which  Jackson  had  re- 
quested. The  latter  told  him  the  command  would  march  pre- 


212 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


cisely  at  one  o’clock,  and  the  minister  knowing  his  punctuality 
made  it  a point  to  close  at  fifteen  minutes  before  one. 

Everything  was  then  in  readiness,  the  men  were  drawn  up 
in  ranks  and,  after  waiting  some  time,  an  officer  approached 
Jackson  and  said  : “Major,  everything  is  now  ready,  may  we 
not  set  out?”  The  only  reply  Jackson  made  was  to  point  to 
the  dial  of  the  barracks  clock,  and  not  until  the  hand  pointed 
to  the  hour  of  one,  was  his  voice  heard  to  ring  out  the  order, 
“Forward,  march!” 

The  cadets  were  destined  for  Staunton,  there  to  take  the  train 
for  Richmond,  and  did  not  march  the  entire  distance  that  day, 
but  made  excellent  headway  for  raw  troops.  The  impression 
existing  that  General  Jackson  commanded  the  cadets  on  the 
part  of  the  Institute,  as  that  of  an  officer  representing  the  Insti- 
tute, is  a mistake.  He  was  selected  by  the  governor  to  com- 
mand the  cadets  who  were  volunteers.  It  must  not  be  in- 
ferred, however,  that  the  authorities  of  the  Institute  were  in 
any  manner  opposed  to  the  cadets  entering  the  army,  but 
Jackson  was  selected  to  command  the  cadets  and  bring  them 
to  Richmond. 

With  this  order,  “Forward,  march!”  given  by  Jackson  that 
Sabbath  afternoon,  a career  was  begun  both  for  him  and  the 
cadets  who  went  with  him,  that  will  for  all  time  be  remembered 
gratefully  and  with  pride  by  the  people  of  their  country. 
Little  did  they  know  of  the  sacrifices,  agonies  and  distress 
they  would  be  called  upon  to  suffer  and  bear ; but  they  have 
won  for  themselves  an  undying  fame.  These  young  gentle- 
men, representing  nearly  every  State  in  the  South,  and  many 
of  them  came  from  far  distant  homes,  never  once  thought 
that  before  they  would  again  see  their  home,  they  would  be 
members  of  an  army  called  into  the  field  to  defend  those 
homes — many  never  again  to  return  to  their  homes. 

Some  rest  to-day  in  the  soil  of  Virginia,  where  the  bones  of 
generations  of  patriots  will  remain  until  the  final  day.  Others 
are  sleeping  the  “soldier’s  sleep”  in  the  prison  wards  of 
Northern  prison  burying  grounds,  while  others  who  were  as- 
signed to  other  portions  of  the  army,  are  buried  in  the  West. 
Those  who  survive  the  war  are  now  old  men,  and  relate  the 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


213 


story  of  those  four  years  as  few  can  tell  it.  It  would  be  to 
them  and  to  their  descendants,  as  well  as  to  their  thousands  of 
comrades  in  arms,  a solace  and  reward,  if  some  Homer  from 
among  the  ranks  of  the  arms  in  Gray  would,  before  they  are 
called  to  answer  the  final  roll,  write  the  epic  of  this  supreme 
struggle  of  the  centuries. 

In  a previous  chapter  we  bade  farewell  to  Jackson,  the 
soldier,  as  he  took  his  leave  of  an  army,  then  on  the  Gulf 
shores  of  Florida.  Soon  he  is  to  enter,  in  the  story  of  his  life, 
another  army — an  army  whose  flag  he  never  saw  go  down  in 
defeat,  but  ever  wave  over  fields  of  victory,  made  by  men 
who  suffered  and  died  defending  their  country.  A flag  though 
furled  forever,  nationally,  if  this  be  a nation  will,  be  the  in- 
signia of  American  chivalry  and  unstained  glory  as  long 
as  men  and  women  love  valor,  and  all  that  goes  to  make  up 
manhood,  of  a type  all  lands  will  indite  peans  to  until  time  is 
no  more ! 

Jackson  marched  the  cadets  to  Staunton  where  they  arrived 
next  day  and  embarked  for  Richmond  by  train.  They  had 
scarcely  begun  their  journey,  when  requests  began  to  be  made 
for  a cadet  “to  learn  their  companies  to  drill.”  Everywhere 
the  train  stopped,  and  it  seemed  to  stop  everywhere,  say  some 
of  the  survivors,  the  people  would  come  up  and  beg  Jackson 
to  give  them  a cadet,  that  they  wanted  to  learn  how  to  drill. 
Great  enthusiasm  prc  ail  id  all  along  the  route,  and  every 
section  was  preparing  for  war. 

Arriving  at  Richmond,  they  marched  directly  to  the  fair 
grounds.  This  place,  the  fair  grounds,  was  used  as  a rendez- 
vous for  troops.  In  1898,  when  the  Virginia  troops  were  as- 
sembling to  enter  the  Spanish  war,  or  war  with  Spain,  this 
same  place,  the  fair  grounds,  was  used  for  the  assembling 
grounds  for  the  Virginia  troops. 

Jackson  wrote  his  wife  from  the  first  station  stopped  at  for 
any  length  of  time.  This  letter  was  dated  Monday,  the  22nd 
of  April,  1861.  He  frequently  wrote  her  from  the  “fair 
grounds  at  Richmond,”  but  it  is  noticeable  that  in  none  of  these 
letters  does  he  refer  to  war  matters,  except  that  General  Lee 
had  been  put  in  command  of  the  troops,  and  spoke  in  compli- 


214  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

inentary  terms  of  him.  While  he  was  stationed  at  the  fair 
:^rounds,  Mrs.  Jackson  wrote  asking  the  privilege- of  visiting 
him  there,  but  he  replied,  telling  her  that,  owing  to  the  un- 
certainty of  movements  of  himself  and  the  general  excite- 
ment, that  it  would  not  likely  be  a pleasant  trip  for  her.  This 
incident  is  mentioned  to  illustrate  the  fact,  that  at  the  very 
beginning,  Jackson  adhered  to  what  he  considered  the  obli. 
gations  of  a military  life,  and  extended  its  regulations  even  to 
his  family,  and  the  strict  observance  of  which  he  required, 
not  only  of  his  troops,  but  of  himself,  and  would  allow  noth- 
ing to  interfere. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


ASSIGNED  TO  A POSITION  INFERIOR  TO  HIS  ABILITIES,  MILI- 
TARY DIGNITY  AND  RIGHTS. NOTES  ON  OFFICIAL  TREAT- 
MENT OF  JACKSON  AT  BEGINNING  OF  WAR. 

SHOULD  HAVE  BEEN  MADE  A BRIGADIER 
OR  MAJOR-GENERAL,  IF  NOT  A LIEU- 
TENANT-GENERAL, FROM  THE  FIRST. 

At  Richmond,  he  spent  liis  time  drilling  the  soldiers.  An 
incident  is  given  of  his  sympathy  or  sensitive  regard  for  the 
feelings  of  even  a private  soldier.  There  was  a young  man  in 
one  of  the  companies  who  was  something  of  a laughing  sport 
for  others,  and  whom  some  of  the  troops  ridiculed.  Jackson 
did  not  rebuke  the  young  troops,  but,  likely  remembering  his 
experience,  when  he  entered  West  Point,  a green  moun- 
taineer lad,  at  whom  the  spic  West  Point  cadets  laughed, 
when  they  saw  his  wool  hat  and  saddlebags ; he  singled  out 
this  poor  fellow,  and  after  drill  went  with  him  in  person 
around  the  sentinel  posts  and  taught  him  how  to  salute,  chal- 
lenge, etc.  That  soldier  never  forgot  Jackson,  and  said  he 
“would  do  anything  for  that  man.”  It  was  such  acts  as  these, 
considerations  for  the  feelings  of  others,  and  helping  the  raw 
troops  in  their  struggle  to  become  familiar  with  the  forms 
and  duties  of  military  life,  that  won  to  him  many  warm  per- 
sonal friends  among  the  soldiers  in  his  command.  We  have 
yet  to  learn  of  any  of  Jackson’s  troops  failing  to  support  him 
in  anything  he  undertook  to  do,  and  would  fight  any  odds 
placed  against  them,  if  Jackson  said  so. 

Jackson  did  not  complain  of  being  placed  in  such  a subor- 
dinate position,  and  subject  to  such  ordinary  duties  as  his  first 
service  to  the  Confederacy,  by  reason  of  his  assignment,  re- 
quired of  him.  He  doubtless  was  surprised,  if  not  indignant, 
when  the  authorities  so  underestimated  him  as  to  give  him 
nothing  much  more  than  the  minor  position  of  a drill-master, 
a position  a much  younger  and  less  experienced  man  could 
have  filled;  while  Jackson,  who  was  something  of  a veteran, 

could  have  been  of  more  general  usefulness  and  filled  any  po- 
215 


2i6  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson, 

* 

sition  in  the  army  assigned  to  him.  His  friends  considered 
that  the  act  of  placing  Jackson  in  this  minor  capacity  of  drill- 
master  an  oversight,  if  not  unfriendly  treatment  of  a man  who 
had  distinguished  himself  in  the  Mexican  war,  was  a gradu- 
ate of  West  Point,  and  an  ex-major  in  the  United  States 
army. 

Jackson  had  one  friend  however,  and  this  friend  was  a 
power,  being  no  less  a personage  than  the  Governor  of  Vir- 
ginia, “honest  John  F.  Letcher.”  He  had  always  been  a strong 
friend  of  Jackson.  Governor  Letcher  would  not  allow  those 
jealous  of  Jackson  to  undermine  him,  and  he  named  him  at 
once  for  the  position  of  colonel  of  State  troops. 

When  this  college  professor’s  name  was  brought  before  the 
General  Assembly  of  Virginia  (Legislature)  for  confirmation 
of  his  appointment  of  colonelcy,  it  created  a stir.  “Who  is 
this  man  Jackson?”  some  of  the  members  asked — no  doubt 
some  were  ignorant,  others  were  not,  as  to  Jackson’s  identity. 
A Legislator,  a man  who  knew  him  well.  Dr.  Moore,  the  mem- 
ber from  Jackson’s  county,  Rockbridge,  said,  “I  know  him. 
He  is  one  of  these  men,  who  when  put  in  charge  of  a post, 
will  never  leave  it  alive,  to  be  occupied  by  an  enemy.” 

This  prevented  Jackson  from  being  what  is  called  in  these 
days,  “snowed  under”  by  those  who  did  not  seem  to  want 
him  promoted.  He  rose  like  a star  in  the  morning  of  the 
Confederacy,  and  from  one  conquest  to  another  in  the  lumi- 
nary constellation  of  fame,  passed  the  lesser  orbs,  until  he 
was  compared  to  the  sun,  blazing  in  the  zenith  of  glory. 

Jackson  was  ordered  to  the  valley  of  Virginia,  and  on  April 
27th  was  at  Winchester,  from  which  point  he  writes  his 
wife;  “Last  Saturday  the  Governor  handed  me  my  com- 
mission as  Colonel  of  Virginia  volunteers,  the  post  which  I 
prefer  above  all  others,  and  has  given  me  an  independent 
C07nniand . Little  one,  you  must  not  expect  to  hear  from  me  very 
often,  as  I expect  to  have  more  work  to  do  than  I have  ever 
had  in  the  same  length  of  time  before  ; but  don’t  be  concerned 
about  your  husband,  for  our  kind  Heavenly  Father  will  give 
every  needful  aid.” 

We  will  here  call  the  attention  of  the  reader  to  this  ex- 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


217 


pression  of  Jackson,  in  regard  to  his  getting  an  independent 
command.  Jackson  was  evidently  of  the  impression  when  he 
was  sent  to  Harper’s  Ferry,  that  he  was  to  have  an  independ- 
ent command  and  not  be  under  another  officer ; this  is  proven 
by  his  refusing  to  obey  Johnston,  until  he  saw  General  Lee’s 
letter.  We  remember  he  was  promoted  twice  when  he 
had  an  indepejident  com7nand  in  Mexico.  Jackson  longed  to 
serve  the  country  well  and  develop  his  abilities.  For  some 
reason,  and  we  can  hardly  conclude  that  it  was  one  of  accident 
or  chance,  as  it  will  be  noticed  when  Jackson’s  name  came 
before  the  Legislature  as  an  appointed  colonel — and  it  will 
be  seen  as  this  story  progresses — the  authorities  were  slow 
in  giving  Jackson  independent  commands,  where  he  would 
be  accountable  for  his  actions  and  be  held  strictly  on  his 
own  account,  and  not  be  half  his  own  guide  and  half  some 
one  else’s  follower.  As  commander  of  a brigade,  he  was 
ranked  as  a colonel,  which  was  scarcely  necessary  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  war,  as  no  battle  had  been  fought  in  which 
brigadiers  had  been  killed  and  colonels  put  in  charge  of  bri- 
gades without  the  rank  of  a brigadier-general. 

Now  and  then,  as  at  Manassas,  where  he  charged  without 
orders.,  and  saved  the  day  for  the  Defenders  ; or  when,  as  his 
troops  used  to  say  : “He  got  lost  in  the  valley  of  Virginia  and 
up  in  the  mountains  and  whipped  every  general  in  the  Yankee 
army  who  tried  to  fight  him,”  his  wonderful  abilities  were 
shown.  And  although  time  and  again,  he  exhibited  extraor- 
dinary capacity,  he  was  nevertheless  kept  under  some  one  else 
and  over-ranked ; but  his  abilities  were  speedily  recognized 
when  other  commanders  got  in  tight  places — which  he  had  no 
part  in  bringing  about — and  he  was  promptly  ordered  to  go 
and  help  them  out. 

It  is  the  verdict  of  the  ablest  military  authorities  that  Jack- 
son  “took  no  counsel  of  his  fears,”  that  he  compares  measure 
for  measure  with  a Marlborough,  a Wellington,  or  Napo- 
leon without  the  chicanery  of  the  Corsican.  Jackson  possessed 
the  abilities  of  that  master  of  artns,  and  General  Gordon 
places  him  in  a higher  realm  than  Napoleon.  Wherever  Jack- 
son  was  in  any  degree  permitted  to  carry  out  the  brilliancy  of 


2i8 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


his  conceptions  of  a situation,  and  exercise  his  strategic  skill, 
he  mastered  all  his  designs  and  took  every  position,  victoriously. 

The  impression  that  Jackson  was  a mere  executive  man  is- 
erroneous.  His  soldiers  knew  whether  or  not  he  could  plan> 
whether  or  not  he  could,  with  that  clear,  far-seeing  and  ever 
cool  brain,  map  out  his  own  way,  and  as  easily  analyze  and 
penetrate  the  schemes  and  plans  of  the  enemy.  He  possessed 
the  acumen  necessary  to  success  in  military  operations. 

Had  he  been  given  the  ten  thousand  men  he  plead  for  on  the 
evening  of  the  battle  of  Manassas,  when  he  had  routed  the 
army  of  the  Invaders  so  completely  that  they  ran  all  night 
and  were  so  overcome  with  deadly  panic,  he  would  have 
taken  Washington  and  peace  would  have  been  declared.  Had 
he  been  allowed  at  any  time,  when  he  plead  for  the  right  to 
pass  into  the  enemy’s  country  with  his  troops,  then  to  a 
man,  filled  with  the  conviction  of  success  and  faith  in  their 
general,  he  would  have  carried  out  every  assertion  he  made  in 
sending  these  appeals,  and  have  leveled  the  cities  of  the 
enemy  and  compelled  them  to  capitulate  in  much  less  time  than 
was  taken  up  by  “red  tape”  at  Richmond,  in  arranging  to  pre- 
vent his  doing  anything  of  the  kind. 

Like  Napoleon  he  was  an  aggressive  fighter.  “Once  an 
enemy  is  weakened,  strike  him  to  the  end,  and  strike  him 
until  he  is  beaten  and  surrendered,”  was  Jackson’s  plan. 

The  Arsenal  at  Harper’s  Ferry,  Virginia,  which  had  been 
destroyed  by  the  Invaders  in  order  to  burn  up  the  munitions 
of  war  there,  was  yet  smoking  when  Jackson  arrived  there  to 
take  charge  of  a lot  of  raw  troops.  This  was  May  3rd,  1S61. 
There  was  no  staff,  no  hospital  or  ordinance  department  and 
not  six  rounds  of  ammunition  to  the  man.  There  was  no  dis- 
cipline, many  of  the  men  wanted  to  go  home  and  frolic  or 
take  “a  resting  spell.” 

After  a little  while  Jackson  had  about  4,500  troops,  but 
such  an  army!  Not  in  the  sense  of  the  personal  character  of 
the  men,  but  the  unsoldierly,  ununiformed,  undisciplined  and 
undrilled  conditions;  but  Jackson  soon  got  things  in  military 
shape.  A few  excitable  or  hot-headed  young  officers  under- 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  219 

took  to  brook  his  authority  and  orders,  but  he  soon  proved  to 
them  that  it  was  either  obey,  or  be  court-martialed. 

Harper’s  Ferry  is  a place  where  there  is  every  chance  of  ruin 
or  run,  to  the  army  occupying  it.  It  is  a kind  of  basin  resting 
in  the  forks  of  two  rivers,  Potomac  and  Shenandoah.  Across 
the  Potomac  on  the  north  and  east  is  Maryland ; great  rock 
bluffs  rise  to  a height  of  several  hundred  feet.  These  are  called 
Maryland  Heights.  a 

Across  the  other  river,  Shenandoah,  on  the  south  and  west  is 
Virginia,  and  here,  on  the  Virginia  side  are  mountainous  hills  ; 
these  are  called  Loudown  Heights.  At  the  broad  end  of  the 
town,  in  the  forks  of  the  rivers,  is  Bolivar  Heights ; this  is 
now  West  Virginia  (at  that  time  Virginia.)  Jackson  built 
some  log  houses  on  top  the  Maryland  Heights  and  threw  out 
defences,  also  hoped  to  get  Maryland  volunteers.  He  gave 
the  details  of  these  matters  his  personal  attention. 

General  Bradley  T.  Johnson,  of  Maryland,  now  living  in 
Virginia,  writes  of  his  first  meeting  with  Jackson  thus  : “I 
first  knew  him  in  May,  1861.  I had  a company  at  Frederick, 
Maryland,  and  went  to  Harper’s  Ferry,  Virginia,  to  see  what 
arrangements  I could  make  about  getting  myself  and  my  men 
taken  into  the  service  of  the  Confederacy.  I went  at  once  to 
headquarters,  at  Barbour’s  House,  and  asked  to  see  Col. 
Jackson. 

“Colonel  McDonald  came  out  to  find  out  my  business,  and 
without  delay  took  me  into  Colonel  Jackson’s  room.  I ex- 
plained my  business,  that  I had  one  company  of  which  I was 
captain,  and  that  I had  no  doubt  of  soon  getting  a regiment 
if  I had  a point  where  I could  rendezvous  and  feed  them,  and 
that  the  Point  of  Rocks,  Virginia,  .was  the  best  location 
for  that  operation. 

“Colonel  Jackson  said,  ‘Give  Captain  Johnson  an  order  to 
report  to  Captain  Ashby,  at  the  Point  of  Rocks.’  Colonel 
McDonald  began  to  suggest  to  me  a scheme  about  establish- 
ing a line  between  Chambersburg,  Pennsylvania,  and  Fred- 
erick, Maryland,  by  relays  from  farm-house  to  farm-house.  I 
thought  it  wild,  but  Jackson  sat  perfectly  silent  during  the 
whole  talk  of  over  an  hour.”  General  Johnson  adds,  “I 


220 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


thought  that  was  a part  of  the  play,  and  was  the  way  of 
soldiers,  and  was  not  impressed  by  his  silence.”  - 

A few  days  after  this  General  Trimble  came  along  and  he, 
Johnson,  went  over  to  see  Jackson  with  him.  Jackson  walked 
with  them  over  the  hills,  and,  as  General  Trimble  had  been  a 
civil  engineer  for  the  B.  & O.  R.  R.,  was  familiar  with  that 
section — Harper’s  Ferry  is  on  the  B.  & O.  Railroad  Jackson^ 
so  General  Johnson  says,  “walked  perfectly  erect  and  silent 
during  all  the  talk.”  Finally  Trimble  asked  Colonel  Jackson 
how  many  soldiers  he  had  there  at  the  Ferry.  Jackson,  with- 
out changing  a particle  his  manner,  replied  in  a very  common- 
place tone,  not  displaying  his  natural  and  great  surprise  at 
such  a question  being  asked  a commanding  officer  by  an  out- 
sider, “We  never  tell  that.”  General  Johnson  says  this  was 
not  “as  deep  as  a well,  or  broad  as  a barn-door,”  but  it  was 
sufficient,  and  he  and  General  Trimble  returned  to  their  camp. 

About  this  time  a delegation  from  the  Maryland  Legislature 
came  to  visit  Jackson,  and  though  Maryland  was  friendly — she 
was  wavering  between  North  and  South — it  behooved  Jackson 
to  be  diplomatic ; he  proved  himself  eminently  so.  Some  of 
the  delegation  plied  him  with  many  questions,  finally 
one  of  them  asked  him  outright  how  many  troops  he  had,  and 
he  replied,  “I  should  be  glad  if  Lincoln  thought  I had  fifteen 
thousand.” 

It  was  thought  by  many  that  Harper’s  Ferry  was  a very 
important  position  to  Virginia,  and  Jackson  knew  the  real 
danger  of  his  position  in  case  of  attack  from  the  enemy,  but  he 
addressed  himself  to  everything  but  fear,  and  assured  the 
authorities  at  Richmond  that  he  would  make  it  another 
Thermopylae.  It  would  be  impossible  to  pass  Harper’s  Ferry, 
strongly  garrisoned  and  armed  with  cannon. 

Up  to  this  time  the  capital  of  the  Confederacy  was  at  Mont- 
gomery, Alabama.  It  was  at  Montgomery,  Alabama,  the  dele- 
gates from  the  seceding  States  met,  as  early  as  February  4,  1861 . 
Jefferson  Davis,  of  Mississippi,  and  Alexander  H.  Stephens, 
of  Georgia,  President  and  Vice-President  respectively,  were 
inaugurated  at  Montgomery.  On  May  20th  the  Confederate 
Government  moved  from  Montgomery  to  Richmond,  Virginia. 


Story  OF  Stonewall  Jackson.  221 

This  move  placed  the  capitals  of  the  two  governments  near 
each  other. 

Scarcely  had  the  Confederate  Government  gotten  settled  in 
its  new  quarters  at  Richmond,  when  the  same  mysterious 
forces  began  to  work  against  Jackson  that  were  at  work 
when  he  was  under  the  State  of  Virginia.  Joseph  E.  John- 
ston was  at  once  put  in  command  of  Harper’s  Ferry,  and  Jack- 
son  forced  to  play  the  role  of  lieutenant  or  second. 

As  Johnston  came  without  such  papers  as  any  military  com- 
mander like  Jackson  would  require  for  authority,  or  creden- 
tials, particularly  when  his  surrender  of  command  was  in- 
volved, he  refused  to  give  up  to  Johnston  ; and  for  a while, 
there  was  fear  of  a collision  between  these  two  excellent  men  ; 
but  Jackson  saw  by  accident  in  a letter  from  Lee,  in  which 
was  a reference  to  Johnston  as  “commander  of  Harper’s' 
Ferry,”  and  he  withdrew  any  further  objection.  Jackson  was 
soon  therefore  disillusioned,  and  the  post  he  preferred  “above 
all  others”,  an  independent  command^  as  he  wrote  his  wife, 
was  not  long  to  be  his  privilege  to  enjoy. 

Among  the  very  first  notices  of  Jackson  in  the  papers  of  that 
day  was  the  following:  “The  commanding  officer  at  Har- 
per’s Ferry  is  worthy  of  the  name  he  bears,  for  ‘Old  Hickory’ 
himself  was  not  a more  determined,  iron-nerved  man  than  he. 
Born  in  Virginia,  educated  at  West  Point,  trained  in  the 
Mexican  war,  occupied  since  at  the  pet  military  institute  of 
the  Old  Dominion,  his  whole  life  has  been  a preparation  for 
this  struggle.  A brother  officer  said  of  him,  ‘Jackson  does 
not  know  fear.’  Above  all,  he  is  a devoted  Christian,  and  the 
strongest  man  becomes  stronger  when  his  heart  is  pure  and 
his  hands  are  clean.” 

Jackson  had  written  his  wife  full  instructions  in  regard  to 
having  their  home  closed,  and  advised  her  to  return  to  her 
father’s  in  North  Carolina  as  the  war  was  on,  and  would  fol- 
low the  Virginia  Valley,  he  clearly  saw,  and  he  wanted  her 
far  from  danger.  He  arranged  for  his  servants,  and  closed  the 
home,  which  was  never  again  to  be  opened 

The  Virginia  troops  were  organized  into  a brigade  and  Jack- 
son  was  put  in  command.  He  said  in  a letter  that  he  had  not 


222 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


been  ordered  to  the  Northwest  (meaning  Northwest  Virginia)  ; 
he  wanted  to  go  there,  into  his  old  section  of  the  State,  and 
save  it  to  the  Confederacy. 

Had  he  been  permitted  to  go,  doubtless  there  would  never 
have  been  any  Wesf  Virginia^  for  he  was  very  popular,  and 
his  army  would  have  been  made  up  largely  of  men  from  that 
portion  of  Virginia,  which  in  1863  was  cut  off  and  called 
West  Virginia,  and  made  a separate  State  of  at  once — a State 
unfriendly  to  the  Southern  cause  and  actively  opposed  to 
the  South. 

Jackson  would  not  be  even  tell  his  wife  in  his  letters  to  her 
any  military  news  ; not  that  he  could  possibly  mistrust  her,  but 
he  never  told  any  one  anything  he  intended  to  do,  in  -war,  ex- 
cept the  mere  details,  and  this  could  not  be  avoided.  In  a let- 
ter to  Mrs.  Jackson  he  says,  “What  do  you  want  with  military 
news?  Don’t  you  know  it  is  unmilitary,  and  unlike  an  officer 
to  write  any  news  respecting  one’s  post?  You  would  not  wish 
your  husband  to  do  an  unofficer-like  thing,  would  you?” 

He  writes  to  his  wife  about  his  home  life  at  his  private 
headquarters,  that  is,  about  the  flowers  in  the  yard  where  he 
has  his  headquarters,  the  people,  the  beautiful  scenery,  etc.  ; 
wishes  all  manner  of  delightful  things  for  her,  but  never  men- 
tions any  movements  or  military  affairs  unless  something  of 
no  importance. 

Jackson  was  now  practically  a brigader-general  although 
his  commission  had  not  reached  him.  And  just  here  is  a 
strange  and  indicative  state  of  affairs — a colonel  in  command 
of  a brigade  by  appointment  and  orders  and  not  by  accidental 
death  of  a ranking  officer.  Let  us  give  a sketch  taken  from 
a Southern  newspaper  at  the  time ; speaking  of  Jackson  the 
newspaper  said  ; “The  Old  Dominion  must  be  sadly  deficient 
in  military  men,  if  this  is  the  best  she  can  do.  He  is  nothing 
like  a commanding  officer.  There  is  a painful  want  in  him  of 
the  pride,  pomp  and  circumstance  of  glorious  war — his  dress  is 
no  better  than  a private  soldier’s,  there  is  not  a particle  of  gold 
lace  about  his  uniform. 

“His  air  is  abstracted,  his  bearing  is  stiff  and  awkward; 
never  consults  his  officers,  and  says  little  to  any  one  (all  the 


1. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


233 


rest  of  the  officers  were  decorated  with  all  manner  of  military 
finery,  and  seemed  to  want  to  ‘show  off’).  He  rides  an  old 
horse  which  seems  to  have  very  little  of  the  romance  of  war 
about  him,  nothing  at  all  fine  in  the  equipment — he  leans 
forward  when  he  rides  as  if  in  a hurry — he  sinks  his  chin  on 
his  high  military  collar,  and  looks  from  side  to  side  from  under 
his  old  cadet-looking  cap,” 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

STONEWALL  BRIGADE. SAVES  A LOCOMOTIVE. IN  SECOND 

AS  IN  FIRST  ENGAGEMENT  WON  A VICTORY. NORTH- 

ERN AND  SOUTHERN  PERSONNEL  AND  OTHER 
FEATURES  COMPARED. 

All  have  heard  of  the  famous  Stonewall  Brigade.  It  is  with 
much  pleasure  that  we  are  enabled  to  procure  from  Major 
Barton  and  others  the  sketch  of  this  brigade,  and  likely  it  is 
the  most  complete  heretofore  published. 

Jackson  first  commanded  this  brigade,  as  it  was  the  first 
brigade  of  the  Virginia  troops.  The  brigade  won  its  name. 
“Stonewall,”  at  the  battle  of  Manassas  ; Jackson  at  that  battle 
being  referred  to  by  General  Bee,  who,  noticing  that  Jackson 
would  not  move  from  his  position  and  that  his  green  troops 
were  wavering,  he  called  on  them  to  fall  in  with  Virginians, 
exclaiming,  “There  stands  Jackson  like  a stone  wall!”  It  is 
right  and  proper  that  the  brigade  should  share  the  honor  with 
its  noble  commander,  for  history  gives  no  more  entrancing  ac- 
count of  undaunted  chivalry  than  was  exhibited  on  that  hot 
summer  day  by  the  men  who  stood  with  Jackson  like  a stone 
wall,  in  the  front  of  what  has  been  termed,  “a  storm  of  lead 
and  iron.” 

The  personnel  of  the  brigade,  as  will  be  seen,  included  sons 
of  some  of  the  oldest,  wealthiest  representatives  of  Southern 
families.  Many  were  well  educated.  There  were  seven  A. 
M.’s,  University  of  Virginia,  forty-two  graduates  of  other  col- 
leges, nineteen  theological  students,  and  a son  of  General  R. 
E.  Lee.  The  poor  boys  of  the  command  were  as  much  heroes 
as  the  wealthy.  An  Episcopal  minister  commanded  a battery 
of  artillery  in  this  brigade. 

The  brigade  had  several  different  commanders,  every  one  of 
whom  was  killed ; this  gives  an  idea  of  where  its  officers  were 
in  time  of  battle.  The  fondness  manifested  by  Jackson  for 
the  brigade  is  shown  upon  many  occasions,  and  especially 
when  he  was  made  a major-general  and  was  for  a time  sepa- 
rated from  them. 

22i 


“This  is  War!  What  can  l)e  more  horril)le?  ’’ 
(From  ‘•Confederate  Soldier  in  llie  Ci'il  War. 


Sunset  on  the  Potomac. 

(From  Peaceful  Scenes,  N.  & W.  R.  R.) 


Virginia  Valley  Scenes,  Southern  R.  R. 


fihenandoah  Valley,  Va.  Along  line  of  B.  & O. 


JACKSON  MONUMENT,  RICH  MONO. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  229 

An  official  order,  number  129.  was  issued  at  Richmond,  May 
30,  1863,  a short  time  time  after  the  death  of  Jackson,  mak- 
ing the  Stonewall  Brigade  an  official  military  command,  to  be 
known  as  such.  We  are  not  aware  of  another  instance  where 
a brigade  was  practically  made  a distinct  military  organiza- 
- tion  officially,  and  by  a distinct  name. 

After  executing  the  order  that  came  to  Jackson  to  burn  the 
bridges  at  Harper’s  Ferry  and  blow  up  the  public  buildings, 
he  left  that  place  on  the  i6th  day  of  June.  The  army  of  the 
Invaders  was  maneuvering  on  the  boundary  of  Virginia  and 
Maryland,  now  and  then  slipping  across  the  Potomac  river, 
and  for  a time  the  chances  of  a fig-ht  cheered  the  men,  who 
were  eager  to  meet  the  Invaders,  and  either  destroy  or  drive 
them  beyond  the  possibility  of  their  molesting  the  valley. 
These  chances  faded,  however,  as  the  Invaders  retreated  when 
Jackson  moved  towards  them. 

Upon  one  occasion  the  disappointment  was  rather  severe 
upon  the  troops,  for  after  a long  forced  and  hot  march,  though 
most  of  the  men  were  hungry  and  consequently  tired,  having 
kept  up  the  three  mile  gait,  they  found  the  Invaders  had 
vamoosed.  The  only  amuse7nent  they  could  have  as  a slight 
reward  for  their  exertion,  was  destroying  the  railroad  engines 
at  Martinsburg  and  a large  number  of  cars  belonging  to  the 
B.  & O.  R.  R.,  the  management  of  which  was,  on  account  of 
the  attitude  of  its  president,  unfriendly  to  the  South. 

Jackson  spoke  of  the  destruction  of  this  property  as  '•'■sad 
■work”  and  ij  the  cost  of  the  ■material  destroyed  could  have 
heeyi  sperit  extending  the  gospel  of  the  Prince  of  Peace^  hovo 
much  good  7}iight  have  been  done!''  The  order  to  destroy  this 
valuable  property  consisting  of  forty  locomotives,  all  in  good 
order,  and  hundreds  of  freight  and  other  cars,  was  both  unwise 
and  unfortunate.  Jackson  did  not  originate  the  plan,  but  on 
the  other  hand  would  have  saved  the  property.  He  was  or- 
dered to  destroy  it. 

The  mistake  in  giving  such  an  order  was  soon  felt  all  over 
the  South,  where  motive  power  and  rolling  stock,  with  which 
to  equip  a few  railroads,  was  sorely  felt.  It  would  have  been 
an  easy  matter  to  have  taken  this  property  via  Harper’s  Ferry 


230  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

before  the  bridges  were  burned,  and  thence  to  Richmond  and 
the  South. 

Jackson  managed  to  save  one  of  the  engines,  which  he  liter, 
ally  dragged ; with  a number  of  horses  attached  to  the  engine, 
he  pulled  it  along  the  pike  to  Winchester.  Picture  this  scene 
and  the  amusement,  as  well  as  the  admiration  the  troops  in- 
dulged on  the  occasion.  Jackson  did  not  give  the  order  to 
burn  the  bridge  at  Harper’s  Ferry,  nor  orders  to  destroy  the 
railroad  property  so  much  needed,  and  if  it  had  been  necessary 
from  Jackson’s  view  of  the  situation,  to  burn  the  bridges  and 
then  attack  Patterson,  or  first  go  to  Martinsburg  and  move  the 
property  or  so  much  of  it  as  he  could,  he  would  have  done  that, 
which  would  have  saved  millions  to  the  Confederacy,  '■'■yack- 
son  never  even  lost  a camp  wagon  during  all  of  his  campaigns 
from  any  rashness  or  lack  of  judginentd' 

Jackson  was  in  charge  of  a brigade — a body  of  men  three 
times  as  great  as  a colonel’s  regiment — from  May  until  July, 
and  yet  ranked  as  a colonel.  True,  other  brigades  were  com- 
manded by  colonels,  but  Jackson  was  known  to  be  a man  of 
experience  in  war  and  particularly  trained  for  commanding 
and  handling  troops,  and  therefore  he  should  not  have  been 
classed  with  other  men  who  had  not  received  such  advantages. 
Yet  men  were  made  brigadier-generals  who  were  in  command 
as  colonels,  before  Jackson  was  placed  on  the  calendar  as  brig- 
adier-general. 

On  July  2,  1861,  Jackson  met  Patterson’s  army  of  Invaders 
at  a place  called  Haines’  Farm,  or  Falling  Waters,  and  with 
380  men  fought  3,000  Invaders;  he  had  one  piece  of  artillery, 
the  Invaders  had  a battery,  but  with  the  aid  of  Col.  J.  E.  B. 
Stuart’s  cavalry,  Patterson,  the  Invader-geneial,  was  routed. 
He  wired  to  Washington  that  he  had  been  attacked  by  “ten 
thousand  rebels’’  and  lost  only  one  man.  It  is  remarkable 
that  this  false  reporting  began  at  one  of  the  first  little  skir- 
mishes of  the  war.  Patterson  had  mostly  ninety-day  volun- 
teers and  wanted  to  encourage  them. 

The  facts  are,  over  forty  prisoners  were  taken  and  the 
wagons  that  Jackson  drove  off,  belonging  to  the  enemy,  were 
dripping  with  blood ; some  one  must  have  been  hurt.  The 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


231 


Invaders  hid  their  dead  throughout  the  whole  Valley  cam- 
paign when  they  could  ; war  was  a new  thing  and  raw  troops 
are  not  enthused  by  looking  at  dead  soldiers.  This  was  a 
small  fight,  but  when  380  young  men  fight  3,000  and  are  vic- 
torious, they  are  apt  to  feel  proud  of  themselves  and  their 
officer  in  command,  Jackson  said  after  this  “affair”  that  he 
believed  his  “regiment  could  whip  Patterson’s  whole  army.” 
Confidence  was  mutual  between  men  and  officers. 

Patterson  then  went  to  Alartinsburg  and  stayed,  but  John- 
ston would  not  walk  into  that  trap  laid  for  him  by  Patterson, 
and  Jackson  went  to  Winchester,  Virginia.  On  the  morning 
after  this  “skirmish,”  as  Jackson  called  it.  General  Johnston 
recommended  Jackson  for  promotion  to  position  of  brigadier- 
general.  After  arriving  at  Winchester,  Jackson  received  the 
following,  dated  the  day  after  the  battle  : “Richmond,  Virginia, 
July  3,  1861.  My  dear  General  ; I have  the  pleasure  of  send- 
ing you  a commission  of  brigadier-general  of  the  Provisional 
army,  and  I feel  that  you  merit  it.  May  your  advancement 
increase  your  usefulness  to  the  State.  Very  truly,  R.  E.  Lee.” 

This  appointment  gave  him  much  satisfaction,  as  he  only 
expected — if  in  reality  he  expected  anything — to  be  ap- 
pointed to  a position  in  the  State  troops,  a much  less  im- 
portant rank.  He  wrote  his  wife  on  receipt  of  Gen.  Lee’s 
letter;  “I  have  had  all  I ought  to  desire,  in  the  line  of  pro- 
motion. I should  be  very  ungrateful  if  I were  not  contented, 
and  exceedingly  thankful  to  our  Heavenly  Father.” 

In  another  letter  he  speaks  of  the  ladies  making  what  they 
called  havelocks  (a  kind  of  hood  worn  to  protect  the 
head  and  neck  from  the  sun).  Havelock  was  a general  in  the 
British  army  and  we  presume  that  it  is  from  him  this  gear  gets 
its  name.  He  says  three  had  been  given  him,  but  he  “did  not 
intend  to  wear  them,  as  I wish  to  show  that  in  this  climate  no 
such  protection  is  necessary.  It  were  better,”  he  added,  “to 
make' haversacks,  as  the  soldiers,  or  many,  had  no  way  to 
carry  their  rations.” 

He  was  always  cheerful  in  his  letters  and  conversation  in 
regard  to  the  fate  of  the  Southern  cause ; matters  not  what 
may  have  been  his  secret  opinion  of  the  final  results.  He 


202  Story  or  Stonewall  Jackson. 

wrote  his  wife  cheeringly,  even  in  the  face  of  news  from  other 
parts  of  the  Confederacy,  where  his  country  was  suffering 
from  the  invasions  and  hardships  of  a ruthless  war. 

He  preserved  his  rule  as  to  Sunday  mailing  of  letters,  and 
never  allowed  one  to  start  so  as  to  require  its  being  carried  on 
Sunday,  if  possible  to  prevent,  and  thanked  his  wife  for  ob- 
serving the  same  rule,  which  he  said  was  Biblical  and  there- 
fore they  would  be  blessed.  Many  times  we  find  him  writing 
to  thank  friends  for  not  writing  on  Sunday. 

From  the  beginning,  Jackson  made  himself  a part  of  his 
military  family  by  recognizing  the  individuality  of  each 
member.  He  was  aware  of  the  high  strung  temperament  of  the 
average  Southerner,  and  was  quick  to  encourage  his  men. 
Southern  men  have  always  possessed  strong  self-assertion  and 
and  independence  of  spirit.  The  system  of  labor  in  the 
South,  that  is,  the  class  of  laborers,  slaves  and  negroes,  princi- 
pally, compelled  a difference  in  the  matter  of  freedom  from 
occupations  and  task  between  Southerners  and  their  Northern 
brothers.  Then,  too,  the  comparative  expanse  of  territorial 
domain  to  which  the  Southerner  was  accustomed — the  South 
being  principally  an  agricultural  country,  imparted  to  the 
younger  men  especially  the  consequences  of  vast  landed  posses- 
sions, a degree  of  idleness  and  a lordly  and  masterly  demeanor. 

Northern  men  were  accustomed,  more  or  less,  to  narrower 
confines,  and  the  general  character  of  their  occupation  some- 
what restricted  their  personal  liberty.  They  were  used  to 
being  governed  by  rules,  hours,  and  other  restrictions  that 
Southern  men  were  unaccustomed  to.  This  imparted  to 
Northern  men  a more  docile  disposition,  and  consequently 
they  were  more  submissive  to  government,  while  the  South- 
erner, resented  nearly  every  attempt  directed  at  the  restriction 
of  his  personal  liberties. 

These  natural  conditions  as  to  personal  characteristics  of 
the  men  in  the  tvvo  armies — when  we  refer  to  men,  in  com- 
paring them,  we  mean  Americans  and  not  the  hirelings  of 
foreign  countries — form  an  interesting  study.  For  instance, 
Jackson  had  in  his  command  tlie  flower  of  the  manhood  of 
one  of  the  oldest  States  in  tl  r Fnion,  Virginia,  and  as  before 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


233 


related,  they  were  men,  though  most  of  them  young, 
well  educated,  as  a rule,  and  gentlemen.  They  had,  with  few 
exceptions,  received  no  military  training,  and  outside  of  college 
restrictions,  they  were  “lords  and  masters.”  The  South  had  no 
organized  army  and  had  given  scant  attention  to  the  militia. 

There  was  no  preparation  in  the  matter  of  discipline,  and 
the  volunteers  from  the  tens  of  thousands  of  homes  in  the 
South,  with  rare  exception,  knew  nothing  of  fire-arms  except 
their  use  in  hunting,  and  an  occasional  diversion  in  the  form 
of  a duel.  There  were  but  few  officers  in  the  South ; that  is, 
men  who  had  received  a military  education  ; but  one  of  the 
main  and  most  important  conditions  Jackson  had  to  confront, 
was  the  temperament  of  the  men,  and  the  fact  of  their  never 
having  been  subjected  to  control,  made  this  a delicate  task 
and  one  requiring  tact.  That  he  met  these  conditions  with 
rare  diplomacy,  and  won  to  his  support  the  united  endorse- 
ment, co-operation  and  service  of  his  men,  is  a part  of  history. 

The  Northern  men  had  the  advantage  of  more  or  less  dis- 
cipline, as  also  the  majority  of  the  officers  of  the  regular 
United  States  army,  the  regular  army  and  navy  itself,  and 
the  whole  machinery  of  the  government.  But  the  difficulty 
in  the  failure  of  the  officers  in  the  army  of  the  Invaders  to  in- 
spire the  men  with  that  degree  of  martial  spirit,  that  so 
strongly  characterized  Southern  men,  is  no  doubt  due  to  the 
fact  that  a large  majority  of  the  Northern  men  of  the  better 
class  remained  out  of  the  army  and  sent  substitutes ; and  this, 
with  the  great  numbers  of  aliens  who  were  hired  by  the  rich 
government,  deprived  the  officers  of  that  touch  of  sympathy 
and  moral  support  necessary  to  successful  campaigning. 

They  could  preserve  the  corps  d’esprit  by  rigid  enforce- 
ment, but  in  fighting,  the  officer  must  have  more  than  num- 
bers and  servile  gunsmen.  It  is  generally  believed  that  the 
majority  of  the  Northern  troops  of  the  better  class  did  not  have 
their  heart  in  the  struggle.  The  Southern  men  were  fighting 
for  their  independence  and  homes.  They  were  on  the  de- 
fensive from  the  start,  and  an  aggressor’s  cause  must  be  un- 
questioned to  rally  brave  men  to  its  support. 

Jackson’s  qualities  were  at  once  esteemed  by  his  men,  and  his 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

utter  lack  of  that  pretentious  “military  snobbery”  so  often  to  be 
met  with,  especially  in  the  beginning  of  a war,  'when  officers 
“clothed  with  brief  authority,”  so  far  forget  themselves  as 
to  presume  on  their  position,  and  domineer  over  the  subal- 
terns and  the  private  soldiers — they  admired  and  appreciated. 
Jackson  was  simplicity  itself,  both  as  to  his  personal  attire 
and  deportment.  His  manners  were  always  engaging  and  his 
smile  captivating.  He  was  stern  and  rigid,  but  never  harsh, 
that  is,  in  the  sense  of  being  overbearing  or  imposing.  He 
placed  his  men  upon  a plane  of  manly  ethics  and  recognized 
them  as  sovereigns,  and  each  man  in  his  camp  and  army 
felt  that  he  was  a part  of  Jackson,  and  the  duty  and  fame  of 
the  command,  included  his  general  (Jackson)  and  his  most 
devoted  fidelity,  individually,  as  a man  and  a soldier  to  the 
government,  and  to  the  support  of  his  general.  The  pride 
he  inspired  was  equal  to  the  dauntless  resolution  that  marked 
his  successes  and  that  of  his  command,  at«aH  periods  during 
his  life  in  this  war. 

We  have  seen  petty  officers  so  offend  the  feelings  of  the 
private  soldier,  that  it  would  have  been  a relief  to  our  indigna- 
tion to  witness  the  rebuke  being  planted  on  the  miserable 
creature’s  face,  by  a good  strong  blow  from  the  hand  of  the 
(defenseless)  private.  Jackson  never  indulged  anything  like 
selfishness  towards  his  troops,  nor  at  any  time  would  he  allow 
any  complaint  of  the  humblest  soldier  in  this  command  to 
fail  to  receive  the  same  prompt  attention  that  a complaint 
from  an  officer  would  receive.  He  was  at  all  times  governed 
by  facts  and  not  prejudices  ; and  ^^ffiile  a strict  disciplinarian, 
he  was  gentle  and  patient.  When  he  saw  a soldier  (and  his 
men  avow  he  could  see  twenty-five  thousand  of  them  individ- 
ually at  a glance)  he  saw  him,  and  acknowledged  a salute  in 
such  a manner  as  to  make  the  soldier  feel  happy. 

He  never  snubbed  anyone  and  he,  like  all  brave  men,  con- 
sidered snubbing  both  contemptible  and  beneath  the  dignity 
of  a gentleman,  and  left  such  puerile  attempts  at  displaying 
importance^  to  people  who  were  capable  of  such  conduct.  We 
have  dwelt  somewhat  upon  this,  Jackson’s  relationship  to  his 
men,  as  a prelude  to  the  stories  appearing  in  this  book,  and  to 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  235 

illustrate,  in  part,  some  of  the  causes  for  the  success  of  Jack- 
son’s commands,  in  all  of  their  eirgagements,  marches  and 
camp  life. 

Once  an  officer  who  had  been  afflicted  at  home  by  sickness 
in  his  family  got  permission  to  go  home  for  a little  while. 
The  case  was  very  distressing,  one  member  of  his  household 
had  died,  another  was  ver)'  ill,  and  this  officer  wrote  for  an  ex- 
tension of  his  time  that  he  might  be  with  his  stricken  family. 

Read  this  letter  from  Jackson,  the  man  who  once  actually 
wept  because  of  sympathy  for  a member  of  his  command, 
for  one  who  had  done  all  human  aid  could  do,  and  yet  death 
seemed  to  defy ; and  so  overcome  was  Jackson  that  he  shed 
tears.  He  was  tender  as  a woman  at  times,  but  ever  brave  and 
severe  when  on  the  battle-field.  ’ 

He  wrote  the  officer:  “My  dear  Major — I have  received 
your  sad  letter,  and  wish  I could  relieve  your  sorrowing  heart ; 
but  human  aid  can  not  heal  the  wound.  From  me  you  have  a 
friend’s  sympathy,  and  I wish  the  suflFering  condition  of  our 
country  permitted  me  to  show  it.  But  we  must  think  of 
the  living  and  those  who  are  to  come  after  us,  and  see  that, 
with  God’s  blessing,  we  transmit  to  them  the  freedom  we 
have  enjoyed. 

“ What  is  life  without  honor?  Degradation  is  worse  than 
death.  It  is  necessary  that  you  be  at  your  post  immediately. 
Join  me  to-morrow  morning.  Your  sympathizing  friend,  T. 
J.  Jackson.” 

We  have  been  taught  to  repeat  the  patriotic  words  of 
Patrick  Henry  and  other  impassioned  speeches  of  orators,  and 
have  read  poems  of  emotion,  but  where  is  found  sublimer 
sentiments  or  loftier  appeals  to  the  heart  than  the  letter  above 
quoted,  contains.^  Jackson,  the  tender-hearted  friend,  one  who 
could  “melt  in  soft  adoption  of  another’s  woes,”  and  ever 
sympathized  feelingly  for  a comrade  iir  distress,  writes  and 
orders  his  comrade  from  the  bedside  of  a stricken  loved  one  to 
the  battle-field  He  tells  him  that  God  is  his  comforter  and 
directs  his  thoughts  to  the  throne  of  the  Most  High,  but  he 
also  tells  him  that  his  country  calls  for  his  sword,  and  life  with- 


336  Story  of  Stoxfwall  Jacrson. 

out  honor  is  not  to  be  tolerated,  and  death  was  to  be  preferred 
to  degredation. 

But  this  is  not  all.  In  this  letter  of  Jackson’s  is  the  pre- 
vailing secret  of  his  cause,  he  would  ask  his  brother  officers  to 
remember  their  duty  to  the  living,  and  not  only  to  them,  but 
to  generations  yet  to  come.  Such  expressions  from  his  pen  in- 
terpret his  soul,  and  give  an  insight  into  that  strength  of 
prophecy  possessed  by  him.  He  saw  the  South  bending  under 
the  oppression  of  the  rich  and  powerful  North,  and  had 
weighed  carefully  the  capacity  of  the  financiers  and  statesmen 
of  that  section,  and  was  not  blind  to  the  fact  of  their  having 
discovered  that  the  ignis-fatuus — childishly  followed  by  so 
many  of  the  Southern  leaders— aid  to  the  Southern  cause 
— was  fast  disappearing,  and  that  the  foreign  governments 
were  practical  institutions,  and  as  such,  considered  the  North  in 
possession  of  what  might  be  termed,  the  credit  of  the  United 
States,  and  consequently,  the  North’s  resources  were  almost 
unlimited. 

His  splendid  judgment  told  him  that  if  the  South  lost  in  the 
struggle,  the  resultant  complications  would  be  extensive,  and 
likely  reach  beyond  a century ; that  this  war  for  Southern  in- 
dependence meant  to  her  people  all,  and  more  than  the  war 
of  the  Revolution  meant,  for  if  she  were  cut  off,  as  it  was  evi- 
dently the  design  of  the  men  back  of  the  administration  to  do, 
and  force  her  out  of  the  Union,  she  would  not  have,  for  a 
long  time  to  come,  as  much  independence  as  she  possessed  be- 
fore the  Revolution,  and  while  he  demanded  Southern  inde- 
pendence, he  was  unwilling  to  be  forced  into  terms  by  enemies 
of  the  Constitution.  Against  these  conditions  his  mighty 
spirit  went  out  in  a deluge  of  indignation  and  wrath,  and  in 
battle  he  was  a towering  avenger  of  the  wrong. 

This  war  closed  over  thirty-seven  years  ago,  and  spite  of 
“love  feasts”  and  platform  oratory,  no  Southern  man  has  been 
nominated  for  the  presidency  or  the  vice-presidency,  and  but 
three  have  been  appointed  to  a cabinet  position  ; but  two  to 
the  supreme  bench  and  only  one  or  two  to  important  foreign 
diplomatic  stations.  There  is  some  talk  of  placing  a South- 
erner in  nomination  three  years  hence  for  the  vice-presidency. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


237 


A picture  here  is  given  of  the  horse  that  Jackson  rode 
through  the  whole  war.  This  is  the  horse’s  history.  Jack- 
son  captured  at  Harper’s  Ferry  a train  load  of  horses,  which 
was  at  once  transferred  to  the  Confederate  government.  He 
bought  two  of  these  horses.  One  of  them  he  called  “Fancy.” 
This  must  have  been  a piece  of  sarcasm  on  the  part  of  the 
young  colonel,  for  the  horse  now  so  famed  in  all  lands  was 
anything  but  a fancy  horse.  The  soldiers  called  him  “Old 
Sorrel.” 

He  was  a sorrel  horse,  did  not  measure  up  to  the  common 
ideas  of  a general’s  horse — a charger — but  “Fancy”  was  not 
exactly  an  ugly  horse.  Jackson  knew  horses  too  well  to  be 
deceived,  and  “Fancy”  proved  his  master  was  not  a poor 
judge  of  horses,  by  living  to  the  age  of  thirty-six  years,  and 
carrying  his  mas-ter  through  two  years  of  the  war  in  every  bat- 
tle he  fought — a veritable  bronzo  marte. 

Jackson  had  several  other  horses,  but  “Fancy”  was  his 
stand-by,  and  when  we  hear  of  Jackson’s  horse  we  know 
“Fancy”  is  thought  of,  “Old  Sorrel,”  as  he  finally  was 
called  by  the  soldiers  because  the  horse  soon  became  a part  of 
his  master  who  was  called  old  (Jackson  was  not  forty  years  of 
age.)  He  knew  his  master  well,  and  would,  when  a halt  was 
made,  lie  down  on  the  ground  like  a dog,  and  rest. 

His  master  made  a pet  of  him  and  would  feed  from  his  own 
hand  little  things  like  fruit,  and  “other  fancy  vittles”  which 
was  however,  in  quantity  and  occasion  very  limited.  He  was 
as  keen  as  a deer,  and  would  go  all  day  and  night  under  his 
master  with  no  signs  of  fatigue.  Had  fine  large  eyes,  particu- 
larly bright  and  intelligent.  When  his  master  was  wounded 
at  Chancellorsville,  that  poor  animal  seemed  to  lose  all  control 
of  himself,  and  for  the  first  time  ran  away,  and  as  his  master 
was  helpless,  the  horse  got  in  the  lines  of  the  Northern  soldiers. 
It  was  at  night,  and  some  of  Jackson’s  men  captured  the 
horse,  and  knew  it  as  well  as  he  did  his  master,  having  seen  the 
horse  nearly  every  day  for  years.  The  horse  was  sent  to  North 
Carolina  by  the  Governor  of  Virginia  to  Mrs.  Jackson. 

This  animal  became  something  of  an  idol  in  a pardonable 
fashion,  and  was  treated  as  a distinguished  guest  wherever  he 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson 


House  of  Daniel  Decatur  Emmett  at  Mount  Vernon,  Knox  County,  Ohio,  Author  of  “ Dixie. 

( “ Uncle  Dan  ” standing  in  doorway.) 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson 


239 


went.  He  was  taken  to  the  reunions  of  the  Confederate  Vet- 
erans, State  Fairs,  etc.  He  served  for  years  his  master’s 
widow  as  faithfully  as  he  had  his  master,  and  finally  his  age 
and  great  and  faithful  services  to  his  dead  master,  won  him  a 
place  of  honor  at  the  stables  of  the  Soldier’s  Home  at  Rich" 
mond,  Virginia,  where  he  died  in  November,  1S87,  at  the  age 
of  thirty-six  years,  very  well  preserved  to  the  time  of  his 
death. 

“Old  Sorrel,”  as  the  soldiers  still  call  Jackson’s  horse,  was 
taken  in  hand  at  his  death  by  a taxidermist,  an  ex-Confederate 
soldier,  who  made  a great  success  of  his  work  in  fact  so  well 
has  the  work  been  done,  that  the  animal  looks  as  natural  as 
life.  He  stands  in  a large  glass  enclosure  in  the  middle  of  a 
room  in  the  soldiers’  home  at  Richmond,  Virginia,  and  bears 
on  his  back  one  of  his  masters  old  war  saddles. 

Here  he  will  stand  for  time  untold,  and  thousands  will  lift 
their  hats  as  they  look  upon  the  horse  who  carried  the  mighty 
Jackson  in  the  battle  of  Manassas,  Kernstown,  McDowell, 
Port  Republic,  Cross  Keys,  Winchester,  Chickahominy, 
Second  Manassas,  Sharpsburg,  Harper’s  Ferry,  Fredericks- 
burgj  and  in  the  last  hour  of  battle  at  Chancellorsville.  A 
faithful  animal  of  a noble  master ! 


CHAPTER  XX. 


THE  LONE  SENTRY.  MARCH  TO  MANASSAS. WOUNDED,  BUT 

REFUSES  TO  LEAVE  THE  FIELD. — DAVIS  AND  JACK- 
SON.  SENDS  MONEY  TO  HIS  NEGRO 
SUNDAY  SCHOOL. 

Not  long  after  “the  affair”  at  Falling  Waters,  and  after 
Patterson  saw  he  could  not  inveigle  Jackson  into  a trap,  the 
Southern  army  was  drawn  off  toward  Manassas,  to  which  point 
it  was  evident  Patterson  was  trying  to  go  to  meet  the  grand 
array  of  Northern  soldiers  at  Alexandria  and  McClelland’s 
army  from  the  Northwest  Virginia,  to  make  a crushing  stroke 
on  Beauregard,  then  about  Manassas. 

Jackson’s  camp  was  struck  on  i8th  July,  and  as  the  troops 
marched  through  Winchester  toward  the  southeast,  people 
asked  them  if  they  were  deserting  them  and  leaving  them  to 
the  enemy.  Sadly  they  had  to  confess  their  ignorance  of  what 
the  movement  meant.  Outside  of  Winchester,  Johnston  halted, 
and  an  order  was  read  to  the  army  which  praised  their  victory  at 
Falling  Waters  and  told  them  where  they  were  going  and  what 
they  were  going  for.  This  was  all  that  was  necessary,  and 
they  cheered  to  the  top  of  their  voice,  and  marched  like  brave 
men,  never  murmuring  though  the  march  was  under  the  scorch- 
ing July  sun 

Jackson’s  brigade^  the  First  Virginia,  was  in  the  lead.  Late 
that  hot  July  evening  after  dark  they  waded  the  Shenandoah 
River  wais^  deep,  and  climbed  the  Blue  Ridge  Mountain  by  2 
A.  M.  and  halted  at  a little  place  called  Paris  bn  top  of  the 
mountain,  having  marched  twenty-two  miles.  Jackson’s 
brigade  turned  into  a kind  of  enclosure  and  fell  asleep,  they 
were  nearly  exhausted  from  hunger,  thirst  and  fatigue.  March- 
ing in  woolen  clothes,  with  the  soldier’s  baggage  on  their  back^ 
is  trying  work. 

Here  on  that  lonely  mountain  Jackson  performed  that  which 
no  other  general  has  ever  before  done,  as  far  as  we  know.  In- 

tiu 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


241 


stead  of  his  going  to  a comfortable  tent,  and  after  a bath,  a 
meal,  and  taking  the  comforts  of  a general,  he  told  the  men 
to  go  to  sleep  and  he,  Jackson  alone,  would  watch  the  camp. 

Had  he  not  walked,  ridden,  and  scorched  under  the  sun  like 
the  rest  of  the  troops  all  that  day  until  two  o’clock  in  the 
morning  of  the  next?  But  he  loved  his  men  like  a father 
loves  his  children,  and  he  walked  that  night  around  the  camp 
and  watched  his  brave  young  men  as  they  slept,  and  not  until 
one  of  his  officers,  seeing  him  standing,  leaning  on  a rail  fence, 
no  doubt  engaged  in  prayer,  but  silent  and  watching,  was  he 
relieved.  This  was  about  daylight.  Jackson  then,  when  re- 
lieved from  duty,  simply  lay  down  on  the  ground  and  went  to 
sleep  like  the  rest  of  the  men. 

THE  LONE  SENTRY.* 

“ ’Twas  in  the  dying  of  the  day. 

The  darkness  grew  so  still, 

The  drowsy  pipe  of  evening  birds 
Was  hushed  upon  the  hill. 

Athwart  the  shadows  of  the  vale, 

Slumbered  the  men  of  might; 

And  one  lone  sentry  paced  his  rounds, 

To  watch  the  camp  that  night. 

“ A grave  and  solemn  man  was  he, 

With  deep  and  sombre  brow ; 

Whose  dreamful  eyes  seemed  hoarding  up 
Some  unaccomplished  vow. 

His  wistful  glance  peered  o’er  the  plains, 

Beneath  the  starry  light. 

And  with  the  murmured  name  of  God, 

He  watched  the  camp  that  night. 

“ The  future  opened  unto  him 
Its  grand  and  awful  scroll; 

Manassas  and  the  Valley  march 
Came  heaving  o’er  his  soul; 

Richmond  and  Sharpsburg  thundered  by, 

With  that  tremendous  fight 
Which  gave  him  to  the  angel’s  hosts 
Who  watched  the  camp  that  night. 

•The  above  poem  was  written  by  the  author  of  the  poem  “My  Mary- 
and” — Mr.  James  R.  Randall,  an  eminent  journalist. 


242 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


“ We  mourn  for  him  who  died  for  us 
With  that  resistless  moan; 

While  up  the  valley  of  the  Lord 
He  marches  to  the  throne  ! 

He  kept  the  faith  of  men  and  saints, 

Sublime  and  pure  and  bright; 

He  sleeps — and  all  is  well  with  him 
Who  watched  the  camp  that  night.” 

Hardly  stopping  for  something  to  eat  after  this  fitful 
bivouac,  these  tired,  half-starved  men  hurried  on  to  meet  their 
brothers  from  the  South,  whom  they  had  been  told  were  about 
to  be  attacked  by  tens  of  thousands  of  the  Invaders,  and  were 
in  danger.  Sun,  hunger,  thirst,  no  ills  could  stop  men  who 
were  sons  of  freemen  and  brothers  of  the  men  in  peril  on  the 
plains  of  Manassas,  to  which  point  Jackson  was  marching. 

On  the  19th,  about  noon,  these  worn  soldiers,  Jackson’s 
Brigade,  got  on  cars  and  rode  toward  Manassas.  The  presi- 
dent of  the  railroad  promised  to  have  everything  ready  to 
move  the  troops  promptly,  but  an  accident,  a very  suspicious 
one,  frustrated  matters,  and  two  days  were  lost.  Men  were 
without  food  and  suffered  greatly. 

Jackson  however  reached  his  post  before  the  alleged  “col- 
lision” on  the  railroad,  and  went  into  camp  Friday  night. 
This  was  a march  indeed.  He  at  once  went  to  work  himself 
to  look  after  the  comforts  of  his  weary  men,  feeding  and  ad- 
ministering to  the  sick  and  doing  all  he  could  for  them.  They 
rested. 

Sunday,  July  21,  1861,  dawned  clear  and  bright — atypical 
day  in  the  beautiful  land,  about  the  foot-hills  of  the  Blue 
Ridge,  famed  for  its  many  attractions.  The  South  was  about 
to  be  attacked  by  her  Northern  brothers  in  one  of  the  fiercest 
battles  of  modern  times.  The  Invaders  had,  according  to  the 
Federal  reports,  about  50,000  infantry  and  cavalry,  and  12 
batteries  of  rifled  artillery. 

Beauregard,  who  was  in  charge  of  the  Defenders  at  Ma- 
nassas, had  22,000  men,  29  cannons,  and  Johnston,  including 
Jackson,  had  6,000  men  and  20  cannons,  but  by  the  failure  of 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  243 

orders  to  be  delivered  to  some  of  the  Southern  commanders, 
thousands  of  these  men  were  not  of  any  use,  and  the  struggle 
became  more  desperate  every  moment.  Finally  the  Southern 
soldiers,  unable  to  stand  the  terrific  fire  of  cannon  and  rifle, 
began  to  waver,  and  the  day  seemed  about  to  be  lost. 

Jackson  was  calm  and  resolute.  An  officer  dashed  up  to 
him  and  said  : “General,  the  day  is  going  against  us  ” Jack- 
son  replied,  “If  you  think  so,  sir,  you  had  better  not  say  any- 
thing about  it.” 

Jackson’s  men  were  laying  down  flat  on  the  ground  and  he 
moved  among  them  telling  them  to  be  steady,  all  was  well, 
and  to  reserve  their  fire  until  in  close  range  of  the  enemy, 
then  to  fire  and  give  them  the  bayonet  and  “yell  like 
furies.”  The  supreme  moment  came,  and  General  Bee,  of 
South  Carolina,  as  gallant  a soldier  as  ever  drew  his  sword, 
came  to  Jackson  and  said,  “General,  they  are  beating  us 
back.”  Jackson  replied,  “Then  give  them  the  bayonet.” 

This  calm  reply  put  new  life  into  the  troops  of  General  Bee, 
and  they  rallied  to  the  charge.  To  induce  his  men,  who  had 
suffered  appalling  loss  of  their  numbers  by  the  battle,  to  rally, 
he  pointed  to  Jackson  and  said,  “There  stands  Jackson 

LIKE  A STONE  WALL.  RaLLY  AND  LET  US  DETERMINE  TO 
DIE  HERE,  AND  WE  WILL  CONQUER.  FOLLOW  ME  ! ” In  a 
few  moments  Bee  was  mortally  wounded,  but  his  act  helped  to 
save  the  day  and  his  name  will  ever  live,  and  with  it  the  sol- 
diers of  Georgia,  Alabama,  Carolinas,  Mississippi,  and  their 
comrades. 

In  this  battle,  troops  from  all  parts  of  the  whole  South  were 
at  one  time  or  another  engaged,  and  while  Jackson’s  men  set 
the  example  of  enduring  death  rather  than  defeat,  and  held 
the  onslaught  of  the  battle  until  reinforcements  came,  and 
thus  turned  the  tide  of  battle  and  the  fate  of  the  day,  the  his- 
tory of  the  deeds  of  every  man  in  that  battle  is  equally  glo- 
rious, and  all  are  proud  of  the  part  they  took,  and  their  pride 
will  live  in  generations  yet  unborn. 

Jackson  was  wounded  by  a piece  of  shell,  but  he  would  not 
permit  the  doctors  to  stop  their  work  among  the  desperately 
wounded  men  to  lose  time  on  his  wound,  which  though  pain- 


244  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

ful,  was  not  dangerous  He  sat  down  on  the  grass  and  held 
his  bloody  and  w’ounded  hand  until  others  were  treated.* 

Some  one  asked  him  “How  goes  the  day”  and  Jackson  re- 
plied, for  the  first  and  only  time  notwithstanding  all  his  great 
accomplishments,  in  evident  satisfaction  at  praise  of  any 
part  he  might  have  taken  : “We  have  beat  them.  We  have  a 
glorious  victory.  My  brigade  made  them  run  like  dogs.” 

Dr.  McGuire,  his  chief  staff  medical  officer  (and  who  served 
with  him  throughout  the  entire  war,  and  was  with  him  at  his 
death)  took  the  general’s  hand  in  his.  Jackson  said,  “What 
do  you  think  of  it.^”  The  surgeon  said  he  could  save  the 
finger,  but  the  time  would  be  long  doubtless,  but  if  it  were  his 
finger  he  would  not  amputate  it.  Jackson  then  told  him  to 
dress  the  finger. 

In  his  able  address  upon  Jackson,  Dr.  McGuire  says ; 
“While  I was  dressing  General  Jackson’s  hand,  at  the  field- 
hospital  of  the  brigade,  near  the  Lewis  house,  I saw  President 
Davis  ride  up  from  the  direction  of  Manassas.  He  had  been 
told  by  stragglers  that  our  army  had  been  defeated.  He 
stopped  his  horse  in  the  middle  of  the  stream.  Young’s 
Branch,  stood  up  in  his  stirrups  (the  palest,  sternest  face  I 
ever  saw)  and  cried  to  the  great  crowd  of  soldiers,  “I  am 
President  Davis,  follow  me  back  to  the  field.” 

General  Jackson  did  not  hear  distinctly.  I told  him  who 
it  was  and  what  he  said.  He  stood  up  and  took  off  his  cap 
and  cried,  “We  have  whipped  them — they  ran  like  sheep. 
Give  me  ten  thousand  men,  and  I will  take  Washing- 
ton City  to-morrow.”  But  he  did  not  get  the  men.  Had 

*General  J.  D.  Imboden,  writing  of  this  battle  in  which  he  met  a severe 
accident:  “On  returning  to  tfce  left  of  the  line  of  guns,  I stopped  to 
ask  General  Jackson’s  permission  to  rejoin  my  battery.  The  fight  was 
just  then  hot  enough  to  make  him  feel  well.  His  eyes  fairly  blazed. 
He  had  away  of  throwing  up  his  left  hand,  with  palm  open  toward  the 
person  he  was  addressing,  and  as  he  told  me  to  go  he  made  this  gesture. 

“The  air  was  full  of  flying  missiles,  and  as  he  spoke  he  jerked  down 
his  hand,  and  I saw  that  blood  was  streaming  from  it.  I exclaimed, 
‘General,  are  you  wounded  ?’  He  replied,  as  he  drewa  handkerchief  from 
his  breast-pocket,  and  began  to  bind  it  up,  ‘only  a scratch — a mere 
scratch,’  and  galloped  away  along  his  line.” 


,<i\vur  SlicnniKloali  River  near  wliere  Jackson’s  men  crossed  en  route 

to  Manassas,  1861.  “The  Lone  Sentry.” 

(Kroni  “ I’eaceful  Scenes,”)  N,  & W.  R.  R.  Jackson  guards  the  camp  alcne. 


Copyriglit  by  the  Century  Co., 


(14) 


Fliglit  of  Federal  Troops  at  Manassas. 


Potomac  River,  near  where  Jackson’s  men  forded,  on  thgir 
way  to  Maryland,  ’62. 

(From  Peaceful  Scenes,  N.  & W.  R,  R.) 


Shenandoah  River  at  Riverton,  Front  Royal,  Va. , on  N.  & W.  R.  R. 
(From  Peaceful  Scenes.) 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


2Z19 

he  gotten  them,  Washington  would  have  belonged  to  the  De- 
fenders on  July  23nd,  i86i. 

The  battle  was  fought  on  the  birthday  of  his  wife.  We 
wonder  if  he  thought  of  this  when  the  fury  of  the  battle  was 
around  him  on  every  side?  He  wrote  his  wife,  “You  can 
never  tell  me  any  more  that  I forget  your  birthday.”  This 
would  seem  to  suggest  that  he  did  celebrate  the  day. 

On  the  day  after  the  battle  he  wrote  his  pastor  this  letter  ; 
“My  dear  pastor:  In  my  tent  last  night  after  a fatiguing 
day’s  service  I remembered  that  I had  failed  to  send  you  my 
contribution  for  our  colored  Sunday-school.  Enclosed  you  will 
find  my  check  for  that  object,  which  please  acknowledge  at 
your  earliest  convenience,  and  oblige  yours  faithfully,  T.  J. 
Jackson.” 

This  letter  was  received  at  the  Post-office,  Lexington,  Vir- 
ginia, in  the  presence  of  a large  party  of  the  General’s  friends  ; 
the  pastor,  opening  the  letter,  said,  “Now  we  will  have  the 
facts.”  Imagine  the  surprise  of  all  when  this  letter  was  read. 
Not  a single  reference  being  made  to  any  battle. 

On  the  same  day  he  wrote  to  his  wife  (July  22nd)  : “My 
precious  pet : Yesterday  we  fought  a great  battle  and  gained 
a great  victory,  for  which  all  glory  is  due  to  God  alone. 
Although  under  heavy  fire  for  several  continuous  hours  I 
received  only  one  wound,  the  breaking  of  the  longest  finger 
on  my  left  hand.  My  horse  was  wounded,  but  not  killed. 
your  coat  got  an  ugly  wound  near  the  hip,  but  my  servant, 
who  is  very  handy,  has  so  far  repaired  it  that  it  does  not  show 
very  much.  My  preservation  was  due,  as  was  the  glorious  vic- 
tory, to  our  God,  to  whom  be  all  the  honor,  praise  and  glory. 

“The  battle  was  the  hardest  that  I have  ever  been  in,  but 
not  so  hot  in  its  fire.  Whilst  great  credit  is  due  to  other 
parts  of  our  gallant  army,  God  made  my  brigade  more  instru- 
mental than  any  other  in  repulsing  the  main  attack.  This  is 
for  your  information  only — say  nothing  about  it  Let  others 
speak  praise,  not  myself.” 

In  another  letter  he  tells  of  a friend  of  his,  a private  soldier, 
being  saved  by  the  rifle-ball  striking  a little  Bible  he  had  in 
his  pocket.  On  August  5th  he  writes  her,  “And  so  you  think 


250  Story  of  Stonewalr  Jackson 

the  papers  ought  to  say  more  about  your  husband ! ATy 
brigade  is  not  a brigade  of  nezvspaper  correspondents . 

“If  my  brigade  can  always  play  so  important  and  useful 
a part  as  it  did  in  this  battle,  I trust  I shall  ever  be  most 
grateful.  You  must  not  be  concerned  at  seeing  other  parts  of 
the  army  lauded  and  my  brigade  not  mentioned.  ‘Truth  is 
mighty  and  will  prevail.’  When  official  reports  are  published, 
if  not  before,  I expect  to  see  justice  done  this  noble  body  of 
patriots.” 

Why  Jackson’s  part  in  the  early  struggles  of  the  war  was 
thus  ignored,  should  surprise  no  one  who  will  take  the  pains 
to  notice  that  some  power  seemed  to  be  at  work,  and  vigilantly 
so,  to  snuff  out,  as  it  were,  the  burning  flame  of  this  man  of 
destiny ! 

Jackson,  as  it  has  already  been  stated,  was  devoted  to  the 
cause  of  the  South,  and  though  never  talking  in  a public  way, 
be  w’rote  a friend  after  the  battle,  that  he  wanted  to  go  up  in- 
to northwest  Virginia  among  his  old  acquaintances,  family 
and  friends,  and  try  and  aid  General  Lee  in  his  campaign 
there.  But  he  would  always  add  that  if  denied  the  right  to 
go,  he  would  serve  wherever  he  was  assigned.  He  wrote  one 
of  the  officials  at  Richmond,  “Should  you  have  an  occasion  to 
ask  for  a brigade  from  this  army,  for  the  northwest,  I hope 
mine  will  be  the  one  selected.” 

He  wrote  his  wife,  “If  General  Lee  remains  in  the  north- 
west I would  like  to  go  there  and  give  my  feeble  aid  as  an 
humble  instrument  in  the  hands  of  Providence  in  retrieving 
the  down-trodden  loyalty  of  that  part  of  my  native  State. 
The  success  of  our  cause  is  the  earthly  object  near  my  heart ; 
and  if  I know  myself^  all  I am  and  have  is  at  the  service  of 
my  country." 

Although  the  battle  of  Manassas  was  in  many  respects  the 
most  brilliant  of  modern  times,  being  the  first  great  battle  on 
American  soil,  fought  by  men  of  the  same  country  but  of  dif- 
ferent sentiments  and  personal  characteristics,  and  Jackson’s 
Brigade  was  compared  publicly  to  the  Imperial  Guard  of  the 
first  Napoleon  ; andthoughthe  South,  unlike  the  North,  looked 
upon  the  battle  as  the  beginning  of  the  end  (an  opinion 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  251 

Jackson’s  letters  show  he  did  not  agree  with)  we  fail  to  see 
in  the  very  few  reported  talks  with  this  calm  officer,  who  had 
done  so  much  for  the  success  of  the  battle,  a word,  or  have  we 
seen  a line  written  by  him  concerning  its  political  or  military 
significance.  (See  his  ^official  report  in  appendix). 

It  is  regretted  Jackson  did  not  talk  or  write  more,  but  for 
some  wise  purpose,  this  has  been  denied  his  countrymen.  He 
was  a man  of  action  and  not  of  articulation.  We  know  that 
he  thought  profoundly  on  many  subjects,  was  a patriot  of  the 
truest  type,  and  was  ever  ready  to  act ; but  he  said  and  wrote 
very  little.  No  doubt  he  felt  that  he  had  been  treated  in  such 
a manner  at  Richmond  as  to  preclude  probability  of  any  sug- 
gestions of  his  being  listened  to  by  the  inexperienced  officials 
there.  But  we  venture  the  assertion  that  Jackson  knew  the 
South  blundered  when  it  failed  to  make  Manassas  the  opening 
gate  to  an  aggressive  warfare,  and  follow  it  up  with  the  most 
vigorous  and  active  campaign.  He  must  have  seen  by  the 
press,  that  the  North  was  preparing  to  redouble  its  work  of 
invasion,  and  if  need  be,  destruction  of  the  South.  He  saw 
the  action  of  their  Congress  appropriating,  without  a voice 
opposing,  nearly  a half  of  a billion  dollars  for  the  war  and 
nearly hzindred  thousaztd  men  called  for  in  the  North. 

He  knew  all  about  the  failures  in  the  campaigns  in  the 
northwest  part  of  Virginia.  He  knew  the  South  had  thou- 
sands of  miles  of  sea  coast  exposed,  and  he  could  accurately  cal- 
culate their  naval  forces — they  had  none  worth  mentioning, 
while  the  North  could  in  a short  time  prepare  and  put  into 
service  hundreds  of  vessels,  as  they  finally  did. 

He  knew  the  North  had  the  ports  of  the  world  open  to  it, 
that  it  had  unlimited  financial  advantages  ; and  his  long  train- 
ing and  familiarity  with  military  matters,  gave  him  ample 
means  of  knowing  the  fact  that  the  North  was  in  possession 
of  the  facilities  and  the  skill,  to  manufacture  the  munitions  of 
war  nearly  as  rapidly  as  men  could  be  mustered  into  service, 
to  take  the  equipments  and  go  to  the  front. 

He  knew  that  the  North  had  many  men  who  sympathized 
with  the  South,  and  would  at  the  slightest  chance  aid  in  bring- 
ing about  peace,  without  forfeiting  their  relationships  at  their 


252  Story  or  Stonewalt  Jackson. 

home  or  causing  complications,  and  as  soon  as  the  South 
could  reach  these  men,  the}"  would  compel  peace.  • He  knew 
that  the  war  was  being  forced  by  politicians  and  a class  of 
men  called  Abolitionists  (persons  who  would  free  all  slaves 
whether  they  had  a right  to  so  do  or  not)  ; he  knew  too,  that 
some  of  the  officers  and  men  who  were  in  the  panic  at  Manas- 
sas, when  the  whole  of  the  Northern  armies  “ran  like  sheep”, 
were  not  made  of  that  kind  of  material,  and  were  as  brave  as 
the  Southern  men ; and  when  they  once  had  time  to  regulate 
matters,  they  would  come  back  with  all  their  might  and  cour- 
age. 

In  order  to  prevent  this,  and  not  attempt  to  prolong  a war, 
that  should  be  ended  at  once  the  South  should  strike  with  all 
the  force,  might  and  energy  of  its  entire  strength,  and  keep  up 
the  panic  until  peace  was  declared.  Subsequent  events  prove 
Jackson  was  a statesman  as  well  as  a soldier  of  unbounded 
energy,  courage  and  skill. 

Jackson  knew  all  these  things,  and  many  more,  of  which 
reference  will  be  made  in  another  part  of  this  book.  But  he 
was  unable  to  shape  the  actions  of  the  South  and,  as  a result, 
had  to  sit  idly  by  and  see  the  fruits  of  the  Manassas  battle  go 
like  “smoke  of  rifles”,  and  be  lost  as  far  as  practical  results 
were  concerned. 

The  South  however  did  not  gloat  over  the  victory,  except 
in  places  where  there  was  more  enthusiasm  than  prudence ; 
the  church  bells  rang,  not  to  call  the  people  together  to  abuse 
and  rant,  and  cry  out  vindictives  against  the  routed  Invaders, 
but  to  call  them  together  to  render  thanks  to  the  Giver  of  all 
good  and  perfect  gifts.  This  spirit  of  humility  and  grace 
characterized  the  South  as  a rule,  but  in  war  we  must  “watch 
and  pray.” 

There  is  nothing  so  serious  as  war,  and  there  is  an  old  say- 
ing that  “Everything  is  fair  in  love  and  war.”  This  is  not 
literally  true,  as  a moral  proposition,  that  is,  Christians  should 
not  adopt  it  as  a rule  in  warfare ; but  the  people  fighting  the 
South  were  not  like  the  Southern  people  in  many  ways,  and 
they  intended  to  crush  the  South  by  any  and  every  7nea}is. 
Subsequent  events  prove  this  to  be  absolutely  true. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


253 


Jackson  believed  this  and  he  saw  that  the  South  had  an  en- 
tirely wrong  idea  about  this  war.  Their  victory  had  lulled 
them  into  a kind  of  boasted  security  and  pride.  The  South 
always  had  believed  the  North  could  not  fight,  and  when  the 
first  great  battle  was  finished  in  such  “cloud-splitting  glory” 
to  Southern  arms,  a great  many  concluded  the  whole  thing 
was  a farce,  and  went  about  their  business  in  disgust. 

But  on  the  plains  of  Manassas  was  this  silent  soldier,  whose 
brave  heart  was  heavy  from  the  errors  of  his  people.  He  is 
reported  as  having  said,  “I  have  three  days  rations  cooked. 
Why  does  the  order  not  come?”  meaning  the  order  for  him 
to  march  on  to  Washington.  The  history  of  events  prove  that 
Jackson’s  ideas  were  of  the  first  importance — -follo-w  up  de- 
feats. The  battle  had  been  another  Jena,  even  greater,  and 
Jackson  was  the  Napoleon  to  see  this,  and  reap  the  results  of 
a rout  that  has  no  equal  in  history. 

All  the  next  day  after  the  battle  the  men  lay  around  here, 
there  and  everywhere,  in  fence  corners  and  under  trees,  idle 
and  worse  than  idle ; a soldier  has  time  to  think,  and  while  he 
does  not  at  all  times  know  what  is  before  him,  in  this  case 
he  knew  a routed  army  was  running  from  him  and  he  chafed 
at  the  strange  inactivity  of  the  “powers  that  be.” 

The  rain  came  down  and  this  did  not  make  him  any  hap- 
pier. The  day  before  his  comrades  had  fallen  by  the  hun- 
dred, and  he  could  hear  the  groans  of  the  wounded,  and  longed 
to  follow  the  fleeing  enemy  and  reap  revenge ; but  his  hand 
was  stayed,  by  whom,  no  one  to  this  day  seems  to  know — cer- 
tainly not  by  “Stonewall”  Jackson,  for  Jackson  plead  even  to 
President  Davis  in  person,  to  be  allowed  to  take  ten  thou- 
sand men  and  go  and  capture  Washington.*" 

*In  discussing  the  failure  of  the  administration  or  the  proper  authori- 
ties for  not  allowing  Jackson  to  go  on  to  Washington  as  he  asked  per- 
mission personally  of  President  Davis  to  be  allowed  to  do,  no  intention 
exists  on  our  part  to  unduly  (Titicise  any  one,  but  simply  to  state  facts, 
nor  would  we  have  it  appear  that  Jackson  was  at  any  period  disposed  to 
find  fault  with,  or  criticise  the  “powers  that  be;”or  that  the  services  of 
a Minerva  were  necessary  in  the  guise  of  a Mentor.  It  is  related  as 
coming  from  “official  records”  that  Mr.  Davis  endorsed  upon  the  re- 
port: “Nor  after  the  actual  battle  and  victory  did  the  generals  on  the 


^54 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


field  propose  an  advance  on  the  Capital  (Washington),”  etc.  This  does 
not  agree  with  the  statement  of  men  present  at  the  Creek  episode — Mr. 
Oavis  likely  did  not  consider  Jackson  ‘‘one  of  the  generals  on  the  field’’ 
as  far  as  General  Jackson  is  concerned.  On  August  4th,  1861,  Mr, 
Davis  wrote  General  Beauregard  : ‘‘I  think  you  are  unjust  to  yourself  in 
putting  your  failure  to  pursue  the  enemy  to  Washington  to  the  account 
of  short  supplies  and  transportation.  Under  the  circumstances  of  our 
army,  and  in  the  absence  o’f  knowledge  acquired — if  indeed  the  statement 
be  true — it  would  have  been  extremely  hazardous  to  have  done  more 
than  was  performed.”  He  then  proceeds  to  state  that  enough  was  done 
for  glory,  and  the  measure  of  duty  was  full,  and  would  have  the  untaught 
to  understand  that  they  were  post  critics  of  the  event.  A letter  from 
Mr.  Davis  to  General  Johnston  refers  to  the  report  of  his  having  pre- 
vented Beauregard  from  pursuing  the  enemy,  etc.,  and  calls  on  John- 
ston, who  was  present  at  the  conferences  on  the  21st  and  22nd,  to  express 
his  impressions  of  those  conferences  concerning  this  matter.  Johnston’s 
reply  can  not  be  put  in  evidence,  as  the  letter  was  never  found.  No 
one  can  doubt  the  patriotism  of  Mr.  Davis  or  of  Generals  Beauregard 
and  Johnston  or  the  absolute  courage  of  these  three  soldiers,  but  the 
fact  remains,  that  Jackson,  ivho  “vas  never  defeated  m his  life  and  ivas 
ever  successt itl  -ivJien  left  to  the  exercise  of  his  abilitv  a7id  judgment , 
did  urge  and  plead  to  be  allotved  to  follow  up  the  rout  and  victory , 
mith  men  who  -were  willins[  to  foltozo  him — he  asked  for  ten  thousand — 
but  the  entire  army  would  have  followed  him,  as  his  fame  in  the  Ma- 
piassas  battle  had  gained  the  confidence  of  every  man  under  arms,  and 
like  his  Valley  campaigns,  afterwards  proved  that  he  would  have  swept 
the  Invaders  before  him,  and  taken  Washington,  and  ended  the  war. 

Rev.  Dr.  Dabney,  in  his  “Life  and  Campaigns  of  Jackson,”  says  con- 
cerning the  delay  after  Manassas:  “His  sense  of  official  propriety  sealed 
his  lips,  and  when  day  after  day  impatient  men  enquired  why  they 
were  not  led  against  the  enemy,  Jackson  would  only  answer:  ‘That’ is 
the  affair  of  the  commanding  generals.’ 

“But  to  his  confidential  friends  he  afterwards  declared  when  no  longer 
under  orders  of  these  officers,  that  the  inaction  was  a deplorable  blun- 
der; frequently  in  later  periods  of  the  war  he  repeated  his  opinion 
with  warmth. 

“He  was  compelled  to  sit  silent  and  see  his  noble  army,  with  its  en- 
thusiastic recruits,  wither  away  in  inaction  on  the  plains  of  Bull  Run 
(Manassas)  under  the  miasma  of  August  heat,  the  stench  of  battle- 
fields and  camp  fevers,  ten  times  more  fatal  than  bullets.  Hundreds 
died  of  the  scourge.” 

Walt  Whitman,  during  rebellious  times  one  of  the  choicest  writers 
in  the  local  press — a poet  and  a famous  Northern  man — writes:  ‘'The 
defeated  troops  commenced  pouring  into  Washington  over  the  Long 
Bridge  by  daylight  on  Monday,  22nd  (May,  1861) — day  drizzling  all 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


“55 


through  with  rain.  The  Saturday  and  Sunday  of  the  battle  of  the  20th 
and  2ist  had  been  parched  and  hot  to  an  extreme.  The  dust,  the  grime 
and  smoke  sweated  in,  followed  by  other  layers  again  sweated  in,  ab- 
sorbed by  those  excited  souls. 

“Their  clothes  all  saturated  with  the  clay-powder  filling  the  air, 
stirred  up  everywhere  on  the  dry  roads  and  trodden  fields  by  the  regi- 
ments, swarming  wagons,  artillery,  etc — all  the  men,  with  this  coating  of 
murk  and  sweat  and  rain,  now  recoiling  back,  pouring  over  the  Long 
Bridge — a horrible  march  of  twenty  miles — returning  to  Washington, 
baffled,  humiliated,  panic-struck. 

“Where  are  the  vaunts  of  and  the  proud  boast,  with  which  you 
went  forth?  Where  are  your  banners?  Your  bands  of  music?  Your 
ropes  to  bring  back  your  prisoners?  Well,  there  isn’t  a band  playing, 
and  there  isn’t  a flag  but  clings  ashamed  and  lank  to  its  shaft.” 

The  writer  proceeds  to  tell  of  the  throng  filling  up  Pennsylvania 
avenue,  the  steps  of  houses  etc.,  and  hanging  around  everywhere  to  get 
something  to  eat;  sleeping  while  the  rush  and  din  of  rout  rages  all 
about  them.  Of  the  smothered  “snickers  of  the  seceshers”  (South- 
erners). Of  the  mixing  of  fine  ladies  in  finer  attire,  with  the  motley, 
terrorized  men,  and  with  food  giving  them  consolation  for  their 
stomachs,  that  the  Southern  soldiers  could  not  give  their  hearts. 

This  is  the  army  of  Invaders  as  Jackson’s  keen-sighted,  soldierly  eye 
saw  it,  and  which  he  longed  to  follow  up,  capture  and  stop  the  war. 
But,  alasl 


CHAPTER  XXL 


NORTHERN  AND  SOUTHERN  COMMENTS  ON  CONDUCT  OF  CER- 
TAIN PERSONS  ASSOCIATED  WITH  MANASSAS  BATTLE. 

Jackson  had  left  Patterson  of  the  Invaders  army  up  in  tlie 
valley  of  Virginia  a few  days  since,  and  before  they  had  heard 
of  the  terrible  defeat  of  their  brothers  at  Manassas,  they  were 
willing  to  follow  their  general,  Patterson,  but  when  they  did 
hear  the  news,  there  was  mutiny,  and  Patterson  was  trying  to 
get  his  men  to  take  heart  and  go  with  him. 

It  was  plain  that  Patterson  could  not  get  to  Washington  as 
quick  as  Jackson  even  if  he  could  get  his  troops  to  go  at  all. 
Jackson  was  much  nearer  to  Washington.  McDowell’s  army 
and  all  his  generals  and  men  were  in  the  panic,  and  with  a 
broken,  spirited  rabble,  running  from  a victorious  army,  par- 
ticularly -when  led  by  a man  of  Jackson’s  iron  nerve  and  dash, 
would  have  no  show ; besides  this  they  nearly  all  had  thrown 
away  their  guns.  There  was  nothing,  as  facts  prove,  to  keep 
Jackson  from  taking  Washington. 

Before  the  battle  of  Manassas,  so  confident  were  the  people 
in  Washington  that  the  “rebels”  would  be  driven  from  the 
face  of  the  earth,  or  something  of  the  sort,  that  even  Congress, 
that  brave-wordy-army-of-war-makers,  was  out  of  town. 
One  cannon  fired  over  the  precints  of  the  city,  and  the  gallant 
followers  of  Jackson  would  have  dined  at  the  President’s, 
and  no  doubt  been  entertained  by  his  absence. 

Some  have  excused  this  absurd  conduct  of  the  persons  re- 
sponsible for  this  terrible  blunder — not  taking  Washington  — 
by  saying  something  about  “raw  troops”  and  reports  of 
“great  numbers  ahead  of  the  Southern  army,”  and  so  forth; 
Jackson  knew  all  about  raw  troops,  he  is  on  record  as  their 
defender. 

Jackson’s  confidence  in  his  volunteers  is  here  given.  This 
conversation  occurred  between  Jackson  and  a member  of  his 
staff.  'The  staff-officer  mentioned  to  Jackson  at  one  time  a 
conversation  that  passed  between  himself  and  General  John- 
ston when  he  came  to  Harper’s  Ferry,  in  which  General  John- 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  257 

ston  referred  to  the  2d  Virginia  Volunteer  regiment  and  re- 
marked that  he  would  not  give  a company  of  regulars  for  the 
regiment. 

On  being  told  this,  Jackson  said,  “Did  he  say  this  about 
those  splendid  men  ?”  and  then  remarked,  “The  patriot  volun- 
teer, fighting  for  his  country  and  his  rights  makes  the  most 
reliable  soldier  on  earth!”  Of  the  two,  who  proved  to  be 
right?  Jackson  knew  men  and  his  respect  for  the  Southern 
volunteers,  knowing  them  as  he  did,  was  unboundless  ; he  held 
their  confidence  and  their  devotion,  and  knew  that  they  would 
fight  any  odds,  suffer  any  hardship,  when  treated  like  soldiers, 
fairly  and  considerately,  and  were  men,  every  inch  of  them. 
It  was  Jackson’s  knowledge  of  the  safety,  reliability  and 
certainty  that  the  volunteers  in  his  regiments,  and  the  South- 
ern troops  that  fought  with  him,  that  caused  him  to  make  that 
request  on  the  evening  of  the  battle  of  Manassas,  for  ten  thou- 
sand of  them  and  pledge  them  with  himself,  to  the  president, 
in  person,  to  take  Washington,  and  consequently  end  the  war. 

Finally  after  waiting  around  Manassas,  nothing  further 
being  done,  Jackson  and  his  men  went  to  Centerville,  where 
they  had  much  better  quarters,  and  the  spirit  and  the  condition 
of  the  troops  immediately  began  to  show  improvement.  Here 
he  busied  himself,  as  usual,  administering  to  the  soldiers,  and 
lost  no  time  in  bringing  them  up  to  the  highest  standard  of 
proficiency.  He  relaxed  some  of  his  former  exercise  in  the 
drilling  line,  much  to  the  delight  of  his  troops ; but  we  give 
here  a program  which  shows  that  he  was  not  so  lenient  after 
all.  There  were  thirteen  things  to  remember  during  the  day. 
The  first  thing  to  remember  happened  at  5 A.  m.,  this  was 
reveille;  at  6.30  was  sick  call;  at  7,  breakfast;  between  8 and 
9.30,  battalion  drill;  10  to  ii,  orderly  hours;  company  drill 
came  at  noon,  between  ii  and  12  (warm  work  in  July  and 
August)  ; dinner  at  i ; from  2 to  6,  there  was  company  and 
battalion  drills;  at  5,  guard  mounting;  at  6,  retreat;  tattoo  at 
9.30 ; and  taps  at  10.  It  will  be  seen  that  Jackson’s  camp  was 
a pretty  active  place,  particularly  in  these  hot  summer  days. 

The  religious  condition  of  his  troops  occupied  the  greater 
portion  of  his  time,  and  the  chaplains  were  kept  active  in 


25S  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson 

looking  after  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  army.  He  would 
frequently  write  to  his  friends  and  also  his  wife,  expressing 
his  longing  for  the  quiet  and  peace  of  home.  War  was  very 
distressing  to  him,  but  it  is  more  than  probable  that  his  desire 
to  be  relieved  from  the  field  was  due  to  the  consciousness  of 
his  being  unduly  subordinated,  and  treated  in  a manner  be- 
neath the  ability  he  must  have  realized  was  possessed  by  him. 
Of  course  all  of  this  is  conjecture,  for  what  he  suffered  or 
what  he  thought,  no  man  will  ever  know ; but  now  and  then 
a word  or  a line  in  a letter  would  indicate  the  drift  of  his 
thoughts.  During  the  encampment  at  Centerville,  General 
Jackson  had  the  following  schedule  made  for  governing  the 
prices  that  farmers  were  allowed  to  charge  the  soldiers.  They 
are  as  follows  : Butter,  25  cents  per  pound ; eggs,  20  cents 
per  dozen;  green  corn,  12  cents  to  18  cents  per  dozen;  pota- 
toes, 25  cents  per  peck ; cucumbers,  25  cents  per  dozen ; 
onions,  15  cents  per  dozen  ; cabbage,  2 cents  to  5 cents  per 
head;  beets,  10  cents  to  12  cents  per  dozen;  snap-beans,  25 
cents  per  peck ; chickens,  18  cents  to  20  cents  each  ; ducks, 
25  cents  each;  geese,  50  cents  each;  mutton,  8 cents  per 
pound;  lamb,  8 cents  per  pound;  milk,  unskimmed,  5 cents 
per  pint ; milk,  skimmed,  3 cents  per  pint ; butter-milk,  3 cents 
per  pint;  honey,  25  cents  per  pound;  peaches,  8 cents  to  10 
cents  per  dozen. 

Before  many  years,  this  “Market”  formality  was  done  away 
with,  and  the  men  were  glad  to  get  anything  to  eat  at  any 
price.  In  another  place  we  give  prices  toward  close  of  the  war. 

To  learn  something  of  the  sentiment  prevailing  at  the  time 
when  the  war  was  inevitable,  it  is  interesting  to  read  some  of  the 
expressions  of  the  press  at  the  time.  Both  at  the  North  and 
South  the  newspapers  vied  with  each  other  in  the  popular 
“jingoism”  of  the  times,  and  their  “press  freedom”  was  ex- 
ercised to  the  limit.  We  make  a few  extracts  from  the  press 
at  the  North,  which,  to  be  candid,  was  likely  no  more  boast- 
ful and  contemptuous  in  its  tone  than  were  the  Southern  new- 
papers  in  theirs. 

The  New  York  Tribune  said  : “The  hanging  of  the  traitors 
is  sure  to  begin  before  the  month  is  over.  The  nations  of  Eu- 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson, 


259 


rope  may  rest  assured  that  Jeff  Davis  and  Company  will  be 
swinging  from  the  battlements  of  Washington  by  the  4th  of 
July.  We  spit  upon  a later  or  longer  delayed  justice.”  We 
see  that  the  Tribune  was  not  fond  of  Messrs.  Davis  & Co., 
(Southern  people),  that  it  was  not  well-posted,  and  the  pre- 
diction as  to  the  hanging,  etc.,  had  Jackson  been  heeded,  the 
“battlements”  would  have  been  in  poor  shape  for  the  hanging, 
about  the  33rd  of  July,  two  days  after  Manassas.  But  war 
has  its  lessons,  and  Americans  are  Americans  after  all,  and 
Horace  Greely,  the  owner  of  the  Tribune^  went  on  the  bond 
of  Jeff  Davis,  and  some  of  his  Company  voted  for  Mr.  Greeley 
for  president  of  the  United  States.  It  may  also  be  suggestive 
as  far  as  Jeff  Davis’  Company  is  concerned,  to  relate  that  the 
man  who  put  shackles  on  Mr.  Davis  lost  the  nomination  for 
presidency  in  1900. 

The  New  Tork  Times  (now,  in  the  irony  of  fate,  partly 
owned  by  a Southerner  and  managed  by  a Tennessean)  said  ; 
“Let  us  make  quick  work.  The  rebellion,  as  some  people 
designate  it,  is  an  unborn  tadpole.  Let  us  not  fall  into  the 
delusion  of  mistaking  a local  commotion  for  a revolution.  A 
strong,  active  pull  together  will  do  our  work  in  thirty  days 
effectually.”  The  tadpole  and  the  local  commotion  was  in- 
spiring, but  it  did  not  sufficiently  succor  those  ninety-day 
troops  that  volunteered  to  go  and  defend  Washington  ; nor 
would  it  hold  them,  when  Jackson  so  roughly  treated  them  at 
the  “affairs”  at  Falling  Waters,  and  Patterson  could  not  read 
these  “ninety-days-ers”  into  extending  their  service  period. 
The  signs  of  the  Ti7nes  did  not  suit  them. 

The  Philadelphia  Press  said  : “No  man  of  sense  could,  for 
a moment,  doubt  that  this  ‘much  ado  about  nothing’  will  end 
in  a month.  The  Northern  people  are  invincible.  The  rebels, 
a mere  band  of  ragamuffins,  will  fly  like  chaff  before  the  wind 
on  our  approach.”  This  Press  editor  had  never  seen  Jack- 
son  and  his  men,  and  the  ragamuffins  left  home  to  stay  until 
the  war  was  over,  and  thirty  days  was  not  the  limit. 

Seward,  Lincoln’s  Secretary  of  State,  wrote  a public  letter 
to  the  minister  of  France,  in  which  he  referred  to  the  war  as 
“a  mere  ephemeral  insurrection,”  etc.  While  the  press  of 


26o  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

the  South  may  have  indulged  in  a good  deal  of  the  ordinary 
editoiial  license,  and,  as  we  say,  been  as  flippant  in  comments 
as  was  the  Northern  press,  yet  we  do  not  think  the  cabinets  of 
the  two  governments  were  alike  in  any  respects.  There 
seemed  to  have  been  deep-rooted  malice  in  some  of  the  Lin- 
coln Cabinet  in  their  hatred  toward  the  South,  and  a Moloch 
might  well  have  represented  their  ambition,  if  judged  by  the 
severity  of  their  onslaught,  in  words  ; and  they  did  not  hesitate 
to  supply  swords  to  Dalgettys. 

As  the  time  approached  for  a collision  with  the  Southern 
arms,  the  Northern  army  and  people,  judging  from  evidences 
of  unmistakable  proof,  became  inflated  with  the  idea  of 
achieving  overwhelming  defeat  and  victory.  The  generals  of 
the  army  of  the  Invaders,  or  some  of  them,  had  their  packages 
marked  ‘Tor  Richmond,”  the  Confederate  capital.  The  mis- 
guided troops  carried  halters  to  “hang  the  rebels.”  Others 
had  pictures  representing  the  most  distressful  positions  into 
which  they  would  put  the  rebels  ; sufficiently  savage  to  inspire 
a certain  variety  oLchivalry.  Congress  was  adjourned.  Min- 
isters of  the  gospel  joined  with  the  general  curious  participants 
and  came  along  with  the  army  to  “rout  the  Confederates.” 
Manassas  was  the  field  on  which  these  scenes  were  to  be  en- 
acted. A long  line  of  carriages  followed  filled  with  females, 
attired  in  what  was  considered  suitable  gear,  to  witness  the 
general  carnage  of  the  “traitors.” 

This  display  of  effeminate  modesty  and  womanly  gentleness 
presented  a scene  likely  to  cause  comment  of  a doubtful  char- 
acter for  generations  to  come;  it  had  an  additional  feature  of 
moral  (?)  beauty,  represented  by  a somewhat  unique  baccha- 
nalian aspect — they  had  in  their  carriages  the  vintage  of 
France,  that  sparkling  liquid  known  as  champagne,  and 
other  wines. 

This  splendid  array  of  sisters  from  the  precincts  of  the  de- 
voted North,  had  in  prodigal  extravagance  other  attractions 
of  brotherly  love  and  cordial  hospitality — they  had  music  and 
viands  fit  for  feasts  on  any  picnic  ground  of  earth.  These 
were  to  be  used  while  the  groans  of  the  dying  “traitors”  from 
the  South  filled  the  evening  of  glorious  conquest. 


Story  of  Stoneavall  Jackson. 


2(31 


Xot  an  angel  left  to  whisper  a message  to  the  God  of  love  ; 
for  a nation’s  guardian  victor  would  spare  no  doom  to  the 
rebel  outlaw ! 

They  had  hand-cuffs  along  with  the  army,  and  every  pleas- 
ant and  winsome  preparation  had  been  made  to  take  South- 
ern “ragamuffins,”  dead  or  alive,  before  the  gates  of  the  high- 
priests  at  Washington.  These  words  are  less  “offensive” 
than  the  act,  and  history  has  few  more  grotesque  scenes  on  its 
pages  than  the  act  of  these  people,  on  that  memorable  day, 
(Sunday,  at  that)  July  21st,  1861. 

But  there  was  a fatal  hitch  in  the  program,  they  counted 
on  meeting  cowards  instead  of  men,  who  for  courage  have  no 
equals  on  earth!  They  mocked  the  fates  of  war,  and  failed 
to  provide  for  the  prayers  of  mothers  and  wives  and  sisters 
and  sweethearts  of  these  brave  men,  in  their  far-off  home  in 
the  South,  where  the  God  of  the  just  sustained  them  in  their 
grief ; and  a modesty  of  nature — a woman’s  supreme  glory — 
kept  them  by  their  sacred  home  devotions,  by  the  cradles  of 
the  children  whose  fathers  had  gone  to  battle  in  defence  of 
right  and  their  heritage — independence. 

As  a rebuke  for  the  act  of  these  misguided  enemies  of  the 
South,  against  all  that  is  good  and  brave  and  noble  in  Ameri- 
can citizenship,  we  will  tell  of  their  downfall.  We  hope  no 
occasion  will  ever  come  when  a like  scene  will  be  repeated ; 
and  therefore  no  such  disgrace  ever  overtake  the  wrong-doer, 
as  overtook  this  multitude  that  Sabbath  day. 

As  has  been  told  in  another  chapter,  the  battle  at  Manassas 
raged  with  a fury  that  shook  the  very  earth.  Finally  Jack- 
son  and  his  brigade  came  upon  the  scene,  and  then  came  the 
tide  of  defeat  to  the  Northern  hosts.  (See  account  of  battle 
of  Manassas,  in  Appendix.)  We  give  the  following  in  the 
words  of  a Northern  newspaper  correspondent,  an  eye  witness 
who  wrote  this  account  as  here  given  ; “ ‘What  does  all  this 

mean.?’  I said  to  the  brave  Captain  (Alexander.)  He  replied, 
‘It  means  defeat.  We  are  beaten,  it  is  a shame,  a cowardly 
retreat,’  and  he  tried  to  rally  his  men — showing  great  courage. 

“Meantime  I saw  officers  with  leaves  and  eagles  on  their 
shoulder  straps,  majors  and  colonels  who  had  deserted  their 


2b2 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


comrades,  pass  me,  galloping  as  if  for  dear  life.  No  enemy 
pursued  just  then  ; but  I suppose  all  were  afraid  that  his  guns 
would  be  trained  down  the  long  narrow  avenue,  and  mow  the 
retreating  thousands  and  batter  to  pieces  army  wagons  and 
everything  else  which  crowded  it. 

“But  such  a scene  ! and  how  terrific  the  onset  of  that  tumultu- 
ous retreat!  For  three  miles,  hosts  of  Federal  troops — all  de- 
tached from  their  regiments,  all  mingled  in  one  disorderly 
rout — were  flying  along  the  road,  but  mostly  through  the  lot 
fields  on  either  side.  Army  wagons,  sutlers,  teams  and  private 
carriages  choked  the  passage,  tumbling  against  each  other, 
amid  clouds  of  dust  and  sickening  sights  and  sounds.  Hacks 
containing  unlucky  spectators  of  the  late  affray  were  smashed 
like  glass,  and  the  occupants  were  lost  sight  of  in  the  debris. 

“Horses  flying  wildly  from  the  battle-field,  many  of  them  in 
death  agony,  galloping  at  random  forward,  joining  in  the 
stampede.  Those  on  foot  who  could  catch  them  rode  them 
bare-back,  as  much  to  save  themselves  from  being  run  over  as 
to  make  quicker  time.  Wounded  men  lying  along  the  banks, 
the  few  either  not  left  on*  the  field  or  taken  to  the  captured 
hospitals,  appealed  with  raised  hands  to  those  who  rode 
horses,  begging  to  be  lifted  behind ; but  few  regarded  such 
petitions.  Then  artillery,  such  as  was  saved,  came  thunder- 
ing along,  smashing  and  overpowering  every  thing. 

“The  regular  cavalry,  I recall  it  to  their  shame,  joined  in 
the  melee.,  adding  to  its  terrors,  for  they  rode  down  footmen 
without  mercy.  One  of  the  great  guns  was  overturned  and  lay 
among  the  ruins  of  a caisson  as  I passed  it.  I saw  an  artillery 
man  running  between  the  ponderous  fore  and  after  wheels  of 
his  gun-carriage,  hanging  on  with  both  hands  and  vainly  striv- 
ing to  jump  up  on  the  ordinance. 

“The  drivers  were  spurring  the  horses ; he  could,  not  cling 
much  longer,  and  a more  agonizing  expression  never  fixed 
the  features  of  a drowning  man.  The  carriage  bounded  from 
the  roughness  of  a steep  hill,  leading  to  a creek  ; he  lost  his 
hold,  fell,  and  in  an  instant  the  great  wheels  had  crushed  the 
life  out  of  him. 

“Who  ever  saw  • uch  a flight?  It  did  not  slack  in  the  least 


Story  of  Stonewatl  Jackson.  263 

until  Centerville  was  reached.  There  the  sight  of  the  reserves, 
formed  in  order  on  the  hill,  seemed  somewhat  to  reassure  the 
van.  But  still  the  teams  and  foot  soldiers  pushed  on,  passing 
their  own  camp  and  heading  swiftly  for  the  distant  Potomac, 
until  for  ten  miles  the  road  over  which  the  Grand  Army  which 
had  so  lately  passed  southward,  gay,  with  unstained  banners, 
and  flushed  with  the  surety  of  success,  was  covered  with  the 
fragments  of  its  reti;eating  forces,  shattered  and  panic-stricken 
in  a single  day.” 

At  Centerville  there  had  been  prepared  a great  dinner  for 
the  visitors  who  had  come  out  in  the  carriages  to  “see  the 
fun.”  This  dinner  was  not  enjoyed  as  it  was  planned  to  be; 
for  news  from  the  routed  army  made  the  visitors  homesick  ; 
and  they  gave  up  the  feast  unceremoniously.  One  female  in 
getting  into  her  carriage,  was  so  hurried  by  the  panic  that 
one  of  her  limbs  was  broken. 

During  this  terrible  scene  where  was  Jackson  ? The  kind- 
hearted  hero  of  the  day  was  working  among  his  wounded 
and  dying;  who,  when  other  troops  would  pass  and  victorious 
shouts  would  rend  the  air,  they  would  join  their  dying  breath 
in  the  glad  huzzas,  while  the  wounded  would  forget  their  pains. 
Jackson  cared  nothing  for  the  rout,  he  soon  began  to 
lose  hope  of  the  authorities  allowing  him  to  follow  the  routed 
Invaders,  and  he  gave  up  to  everything  but  care  of  his  beloved 
soldiers,  though  he  himself  was  wounded,  which  wound  he  got 
in  the  final  charge  of  the  day. 

We  are  told  by  old  inhabitants  of  Alexandria,  Virginia,  just 
across  the  Potomac  river  from  Washington,  that  the  panic 
reached  there  early  Monday  morning,  the  day  after  the  battle. 
Although  the  men  and  the  whole  panic  mob  had  moved  be- 
tween twenty-five  and  thirty  miles,  they  were  pouring  into 
the  town  by  noon,  and  a more  amusing,  and  at  the  same  time 
instructive  story  would  be  difficult  to  find,  than  the  tales  of 
that  day. 

Men  were  wild  from  fear,  and  hunger  made  them  desper- 
ate. The  all-pervading  thought  was  to  “get  out  of  this  danger 
and  desert  the  army.”  The  ways  of  reaching  Washington 
were  choked  as  the  boats  and  bridges  were  jammed  and  crushed 


2U4 


Story  of  Stonewarl  Jackson 


to  extreme  danger.  Many  men  went  away  up  into  the 
hillc  along  the  Potomac  miles  away  and  hid.  Soldiers,  who 
had  exulted  over  the  people  of  the  town  a few  days  before, 
now  begged  for  bread,  and  some  wept  from  the  excitement  of 
their  relief  from  the  “bloody  Beauregard,”  as  they  called  him, 
and  that  “terror  of  a rebel,”  Jackson. 

While  these  poor  soldiers  were  thus  suffering  for  something 
to  eat,  and  were  bemoaning  their  fate,  fearing  every  moment 
to  hear  the  guns  of  the  enemy  or  Stuart’s  men,  or  the  yell  of 
Jackson’s  brigade,  in  fact  were  in  the  toils  of  panic,  we  see 
Jackson  quietly  “keeping  flies  off  his  hand”  as  he  wrote  a 
friend ; or  sitting  down  to  send  some  money  for  the  negro 
Sunday  school  in  Lexington. 

However,  we  venture  again  the  assertion  that  had  he  been 
allowed  to  go  to  Washington,  as  he  begged  the  right  to  do, 
the  panic-stricken  soldiers  around  the  Potomac,  and  all  over 
the  country,  would  have  been  in  distress  indeed,  and  the 
Southern  troops  would  have  taken  from  twenty  to  thirty  thou- 
sand prisoners  and  doubtless  paroled  them.  Jackson  at  Har- 
per’s Ferry  took  nearly  twelve  thousand  and  paroled  them. 
War  would  have  been  ended  in  less  than  five  days,  the  country 
once  more  at  peace,  and  yackson  its  President;  provided  he 
would  consent  to  accept  a political  position. 

As  this  book  is  not  a history  of  the  war,  we  cannot  follow 
the  various  movements  of  troops,  battles,  orders  and  the  mat- 
ters that  go  with  war ; it  is  the  object  to  tell  something  of 
General  Jackson’s  part  in  the  war,  and  leave  to  a future  time 
anything  like  a story  of  the  war,  as  a special  book  upon  that 
subject. 

During  August,  September,  October,  and  part  of  Novem- 
ber, Jackson  and  his  brigade  spent  their  time  not  far  from  the 
battle-field  of  Manassas  (or,  as  it  is  sometimes  called.  Bull 
Run).  There  is  not  much  to  tell  about  the  soldier  in  camp. 
The  time  is  spent  in  all  manner  of  ways  “to  kill  time.”  They 
build  little  houses  of  logs  or  brush,  if  they  have  no  tents,  do 
their  own  cooking  over  the  open  fire.  Some  have  skillets, 
ovens  and  pots ; others  have  only  pieces  of  iron  vessels  to 
cook  in.  They  do  their  own  washing,  but  don’t  iron  their 


I-’resident  of  the  Confederacy. 


Commanding  General  of  Army  C.  S.  A. 


White  House  of  the  Confederacy  — now  Confederate  Museum — Richmond.  \ha. 


Da\  is  and  Jackson  at  Manasas. 

(Jackson  Wounded  hut  Calls  to  President  Davis  for  10,000  Men  to  Take  Washingto]i). 


(15) 


Inspection^ — (From  Camp  Fires  of  the  Confederacy.)  In  tlie  Charge — (From  Camp  Fires  of  the  Confederacy.) 


Among  the  last  names  mentioned  by  Jackson  on  his  death  bed  was 
that  of  this  gallant  officer  “ Order  A.  P.  Hill  to  prepare  for  action.” 
General  Hill  gave  up  his  life  for  his  coimtr)^  only  a few  days  before 
Lee  surrendered. 


Story  ok  Stonewall  Jackson.  269 

clothes  ; wear  them  “rough-dried.”  They  bathe  in  creeks,  very 
few  have  basins,  soap  or  towels.  It  is  a hai'd  life,  something 
like  an  animal’s. 

Soldiers  are  allowed  to  write  home,  read  papers  and 
books,  make  any  little  articles  of  wood,  bone,  etc.,  and 
amuse  themselves  with  games  and  plays,  but  are  not  per- 
mitted to  roam  around  and  leave  camp  any  great  distance.  If 
this  were  permitted,  the  army  might  sometime  be  “surprised 
and  captured.”  They  have  to  keep  their  guns  clean  and  not 
let  them  get  rusted.  Artillery  is  kept  as  neat  as  a private 
carriage  and  covered  with  h^avy  clotlis  or  canvas.  Cavalry 
have  their  horses  to  care  for;  they  often  “get  up”  rations  for 
the  army. 

Rations,  as  soldier’s  food  is  called,  are  given  out  to  soldiers 
(when  there  is  any  to  give),  each  man  gets  so  much  meal, 
meat,  molasses,  cofFee,  sugar,  and  whatever  they  (the  Com- 
missary Department)  have  to  give  the  soldiers.  In  the  first 
part  of  the  war  the  Southern  soldiers  had  more  to  eat  than 
they  did  in  the  latter  part.  The  Northern  soldiers  always 
had  all  they  could  eat,  and  some  times  more  too,  and  often  in 
these  two  armies  (many  times  having  relatives  in  each,  so 
that  cousins,  and  even  brothers,  would  wear  either  blue  or 
gray  uniforms  and  fight  each  other),  the  troops  would  trade 
their  supplies. 

Invaders  would  give  sugar  and  coffee,  etc.,  for  Southern 
tobacco,  etc.  This  they  called  ‘‘swapping.”  While  these 
men  were  “swapping”  things  among  themselves,  they  would 
no  more  commit  a hostile  act  than  friends  would  wound 
friends. 

General  Jackson  did  not  like  idleness  in  camp,  and  that  he 
resigned  in  Florida  from  the  U.  S.  army  partly  on  this  account 
proves  this.  It  is  a pity  that  after  his  brilliant  part  in  the  Ma- 
nassas victory,  he  w'as  not  sent  to  the  section  where  he  was 
reared,  western  and  northern  Virginia,  and  where  he  asked  to  be 
sent.  Had  this  been  done  he  would  have  saved  many  lives ; 
and  knowing  the  country  so  well,  and  being  popular,  he  could 
have  gotten  many  volunteers,  and  prevented,  the  loss  of  the 
whole  Northwest  Virginia  to  the  State,  which  finally,  as  re- 


2^0  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

lated,  became  another  State,  West  Virginia.  The  separation 
©r  partitioning  of  Virginia,  into  States  is  an  incident  of  the 
war,  which  was  a miscarriage  of  political  enigma.  Jackson 
would  have  preserved  the  union  of  Virginia  and  in  a short 
time  the  union  of  America,  but,  alas! 

Jackson  writes  frequently  to  h*s  wife  while  in  camp,  and  all 
his  letters  show  a resigned  spirit.  Once  he  tells  her  that  he 
cannot  ask  for  a leave  of  absence  to  go  home,  as  the  soldiers 
were  not  allowed  to  do  this,  and  he  did  not  want  to  set  them 
a bad  example.  He  remarked,  “It  might  make  the  troops  feel 
that  they  were  badly  treated,  and  that  I consult  my  own  pleas- 
ure and  comfort,  regardless  of  theirs.” 

He  tells  of  the  hard  drilling,  and  says  he  hopes  this  will 
make  him  and  his  troops  better  able  to  serve  their  country,  if 
Providence  calls  on  them  to  do  so.  They  had  in  the  camp  a 
band  of  music.  He  was  very  fond  of  music,  but  could  not 
learn  a tune  easily.  His  wife  says  she  had  much  difficulty  in 
teaching  him  “Dixie.”  His  regiment  had  a good  brass  band, 
but  even  when  it  would  play  “Dixie”  he  would  confuse  it 
with  other  tunes,  so  he  got  his  wife  to  teach  him  “Dixie.” 

When  he  went  into  camp,  near  Fairfax  court  house,  he  ex- 
pressed great  delight,  and  was  always  glad  to  get  back  after 
(being  called  away  by  false  alarms  of  danger  along  the  frontier. 
All  this  time,  the  main  part  of  the  Southern  army  was  sta- 
tioned partly  in  sight  of  the  Northern  army,  or  Washington. 
A joke  is  told  of  a battery  used  by  the  .Southern  army.  It  is 
:said,  and  many  have  told  us,  that  on  Munson’s  and  Mason’s 
hill,  not  far  from  Alexandria  to  the  west,  the  Southern  army 
had  some  posts,  made  into  shape  of  cannons  and  painted  black, 
and  had  them  mounted  on  the  breast  works.  They  are  called 
“Shaker-Cannons,”  (because  silent?) 

These  mock  cannons  were  put  into  position  on  forts  in  view 
of  the  enemy’s  observatories,  and  were  mistaken  by  them  for 
an  enormous  array  of  artillery.  Some  of  these  wooden  can- 
nons are  said  to  be  still  inexistence.  They  served  the  purpose, 
as  the  enemy  did  not  know  the  difference  until  long  after- 
wards. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


MRS.  JACKSON  VISITS  HER  HUSBAND  IN  CAMP WRITES  LET- 
TER TO  OFFICERS  OF  V.  M.  I.  AT  LEXINGTON HIS  LONGING 

FOR  PEACE APPOINTED  MAJOR-GENERAL FAREWELL 

ADDRESS  TO  STONEWALL  BRIGADE PRAYERS  IN 

CAMP JACKSON  PRAYS  AND  READ  FROM  THE 

BIBLE TALKS  NEARLY  ALL  NIGHT  WITH  HIS 

FORMER  PASTOR COMMENT  ON  TREAT 

MENT  OF  NON-COMBATANTS. 

^Vhile  near  Fairfax,  he  wrote  his  wife  she  might  come  and 
visit  him  in  the  army,  if  she  would  take  the  chances  of  find- 
ing him  there,  for  war  was  uncertain  and  he  might  be  ordered 
away  any  moment.  But  he  was  anxious  to  have  his  beloved 
wife  near  him.  She  came,  and  tells  in  her  book  of  the  trip. 
In  those  days  a lady  was  very  brave  to  travel.  Soldiers  would 
look  in  the  cars  at  the  strange  sight  of  a lady.  When  she 
finally  reached  the  General,  she  was  treated  like  a princess  by 
the  soldiers. 

While  Mrs.  Jackson  was  in  camp  there  was  no  fighting  to 
do ; her  husband  could  therefore  give  her  a great  deal  of  his 
time,  and  she  enjoyed  the  novelty.  She  would  eat  out  under 
the  trees  with  Jackson  and  his  staff,  and  their  rooms  were  at 
a kind  farmer’s  near  the  camp.  It  must  have  been  a great 
joy  to  the  hero  to  have  his  wife  with  him.  He  had  left  her 
in  the  spring,  at  their  home  in  Lexington,  and  never  had  seen 
her  since.  His  disposition  was  domestic,  and  he  loved  home, 
and  this  separation  was  a great  sorrow  to  him.  Many  soldiers, 
though  as  deeply  distressed  by  their  absence  from  their  loved 
ones,  rejoiced  for  their  general  to  see  his  wife  with  him. 

General  Jackson’s  cook  at  that  time  was  as  black  as  a negro 
gets  to  be,  but  he  was  a good  servant  and  cook,  and  he  used 
to  say,  “I  outranks  all  de  niggers  in  dis  army,”  and  seemed  to 
delight  in  the  distinction  of  being  the  General’s  cook,  par- 
ticularly when  his  ‘‘young  mistis”  was  at  headquarters.  In 
less  than  two  weeks,  Jackson  was  ordered  to  move  his  com- 
2T1 


272  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

mand,  and  the  dream  passed;  the  visit  closed,  and  Mrs.  Jack- 
son  went  to  her  home  in  the  South.  This  was  in  September. 

Shortly  after  his  wife  left  him,  he  wrote  these  beautiful 
words  ; “This  is  a lovely  morning,  beautiful  emblem  of  the 
morning  of  eternity  in  heaven.  I greatly  enjoy  it  after  our 
cold,  chilly  weather,  which  has  made  me  feel  doubtful  of  my 
capacity,  humanly  speaking,  to  endure  the  campaign,  should 
we  remain  longer  in  tents.  But  God,  our  God,  will  and 
does  all  things  well,  and  if  it  is  His  pleasure  that  I should  re- 
main in  the  field.  He  will  give  me  the  ability  to  endure  all  its 
fatigues.” 

Just  before  writing  this,  he  referred  to  the  condition  of 
affairs  at  Lexington,  and  for  the  second  time  since  he  left 
there,  expressed  to  his  wife  a desire  to  return.  In  the  same 
letter  he  shows  in  a few  simple  words,  that  to  him,  war  was 
a thing,  of  itself,  apart  from  Jackson  in  his  life  as  a Christian. 
These  are  the  words  ; “Colonel  Echols  returned  this  morning, 
but  does  not  bring  to  our Jinite  minds  very  good  news.”  On 
other  occasions  he  refers  distinctly  to  visits  of  ministers  and 
the  joy  of  possessing  a spiritual  mind  under  their  blessed 
presence. 

In  September  some  of  his  old  Lexington  friends  and  others 
sent  him  many  useful  things  for  camp  life,  and  things  to  eat. 
Notice  how  careful  Jackson  was  about  expressing  even  the 
date  of  a mere  passing  incident;  he  writes,  “/  think  about 
eight  days  ago,  a gentleman  sent  me  a half-barrel  of  tomatoes, 
bread,  etc.  Other  kind  friends  have  remembered  me.  What 
I need  is  a more  grateful  heart  to  the  ‘Giver  of  every  good 
and  perfect  gift.’  ” - 

The  following  letter  is  evidence  of  his  desire  for  occupation 
in  civic  life  : 

Headquarters  ist  Brigade,  2d  Corps,  A.  P., 

Centerville,  October  22,  1861. 

Gentlemen:  Your  circular  of  the  ninth  instant  has  been  received, 
and  I beg  leave  to  say,  in  reply,  that  I only  took  the  field  from  a sense 
of  duty,  and  that  the  obligation  that  brought  me  into  the  service  still 
retains  me  in  it,  and  will  probably  continue  to  do  so  as  long  as  the  war 
shall  last.  At  the  close  of  hostilities,  I desire  to  resume  the  duties  of 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  273 

my  chair,  and  accordingh'  respectfully  request  that,  if  consistent  with 
the  interest  of  the  Institute,  the  action  of  the  Board  of  Visitors  may  be 
such  as  to  admit  of  my  return  upon  the  restoration  of  peace. 

Respectfully,  your  ob’t  servant,  T.  J.  Jackson. 

Prof.  Nat.  and  Ex.  Philosophy,  V.  M.  I. 

To  General  Wm.  H.  Richardson, 

General  T.  A.  Raymond, 

Committee. 

In  October  he  writes  about  a visit  of  President  Davis  to 
that  section.  “The  President  introduces  the  subject  of  the 
condition  of  my  section  of  the  State,  but  did  not  even  so  much 
as  intimate  that  he  designed  sending  me  there.  I told  him 
when  he  spoke  of  my  native  region,  that  I felt  a very  deep 
interest  in  it.  He  spoke  hopefully  of  that  section  and  highly 
of  General  Lee.”  He  would  like  to  have  talked  fully  to  Mr. 
Davis  about  his  longing  to  go  to  Western  Virginia,  but  being 
a modest  man  he  declined  to  urge  anything  personal. 

On  the  7th  of  October,  Jackson  was  made  a major-general. 
About  a week  after  this  in  a letter  to  his  wife,  after  writing 
about  his  hope  of  going  into  winter  quarters  somewhere,  so 
he  could  have  his  wife  with  him,  his  remarks  upon  the 
hope  of  having  her,  were  as  happily  expressed  as  a lover  of 
true  domestic  life  alone  could  write,  he  adds,  “I  am  very 
thankful  to  that  God  who  withholds  no  good  thing  from  me 
(though  I am  so  utterly  unworthy  and  ungrateful)  for  making 
me  a major-general  in  the  Provisional  army  of  the  Confed- 
erate States.” 

This  appointment  did  not  appear  to  give  Jackson  any  great 
pleasure.  A brother  officer  relates  the  circumstance  of  a ride 
he  had  with  Jackson,  after  he  had  received  his  appointment, 
and  of  his  incidentally  telling  the  officer  in  the  most  uncon- 
cerned manner  that  he  was  going  in  search  of  a magistrate  to 
be  sworn  in,  as  prescribed  by  law.  The  officers  did  not  know 
up  to  that  time  that  Jackson  had  even  been  promoted,  although 
he  had  been  in  camp  with  him. 

His  pastor.  Rev.  Dr.  White,  was  present  when  he  received 
the  official  order,  and  Jackson  handing,  it  to  him,  said,  “Such 
an  act  of  public  confidence  and  respect  as  puts  it  into  one’s 
power  to  serve  his  country  should  be  accepted  and  prized ; 
but,  apart  from  that,  promotion  among  men  is  only  a temp. 


-74 


Story. OF  Stonewall  Jackson. 


tation  and  a trouble.  Had  this  communication  not  come 
as  an  order ^ I should  have  instantly  declined  it,  and  continued 
in  command  of  my  brave  old  brigaded’’ 

That  the  separation  of  Jackson  from  his  old  command,  the 
Stonewall  Brigade,  gave  him  much  sorrow  and  disappoint- 
!nent,  may  be  gathered  from  his  farewell  address  to  them  as 
(heir  commander.  Why  he  could  not  be  a major-general  and 
-^till  remain  with  his  command,  the  Stonewall  Brigade,  has 
never  been  explained — like  many  other  of  the  mysteries  of 
Jackson’s  career  in  its  official  connection.  The  brigade  was 
afterwards  given  back  to  him  upon  the  petition  of  the  brigade, 
to  be  restored  to  Jackson. 

On  the  day  Jackson  took  his  leave  of  his  faithful  brigade 
the  men  were  drawn  up  and  paraded  before  him  and  his  staff. 
He  rode  to  the  center  and,  in  a voice  clear  and  calm,  said, 
•‘Officers  and  soldiers  of  the  First  Brigade,  I am  not  here  to 
make  a speech,  but  simply  to  say  farewell. 

“I  first  met  you  at  Harper’s  Ferry  in  the  commencement  of 
this  war,  and  I cannot  take  leave  of  you  without  giving  ex- 
pression to  my  admiration  of  your  conduct  from  that  day  to 
this,  whether  on  the  march,  the  bivouac,  the  tented  field  or 
on  the  bloody  plains  of  Manassas,  where  you  gained  the  well 
deserved  reputation  of  having  decided  the  fate  of  the  battle. 

“Throughout  the  broad  extent  of  country  over  which  you 
have  marched,  by  your  respect  for  the  rights  and  the  property 
of  citizens,  you  have  shown  that  3mu  were  soldiers,  not  only 
to  defend,  but  able  and  willing  both  to  defend  and  protect. 
You  have  already-  gained  a brilliant  and  deservedly  high  repu- 
tation throughout  the  arm^-  of  the  whole  Confederacy,  and  I 
trust,  in  the  future,  b}*  ^mur  deeds  on  the  field,  and  by  the  as- 
sistance of  the  same  kind  Providence  who  has  heretofore 
favored  our  cause,  jmu  will  gain  more  victories,  and  add  ad- 
ditional lustre  to  the  reputation  jmu  now  enjoy. 

“You  have  already  gained  a proud  position  in  the  future 
history  of  this,  our  second  war  for  independence.  I shall 
look  with  great  anxiety  to  your  future  movements  ; and  I trust, 
whenever  I shall  hear  of  the  First  Brigade  on  the  field  of  bat- 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  275 

tie,  it  will  be  of  still  nobler  deeds  achieved,  and  higher  repu- 
tation won.” 

Then  pausing,  as  though  unable  to  leave  his  comrades-in- 
arms  without  some  warmer  and  less  official  words,  the  great 
leader  threw  the  reins  of  his  bridle  from  his  hand,  and  ex- 
tending his  arms  toward  his  beloved  comrades,  with  all  the 
emphasis  and  emotion  of  his  noble  soul,  exclaimed  ; 

“In  the  Army  of  the  Shenandoah  you  were  the  First  Bri- 
gade ; in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  you  were  the  First  Bri- 
gade; in  the  Second  Corps  of  the  army  you  were  the  First 
Brigade ; you  are  the  First  Brigade  in  the  affections  of  your 
general ; and  I hope  by  your  future  deeds  and  bearing,  you 
will  be  handed  down  to  posterity  as  the  Brigade  in  this, 

the  second  War  of  Independence.  Farewell!” 

He  wheeled  his  horse  and  galloped  away,  follow'ed  by 
cheers  that  only  sincere  and  brave  men  can  give.  It  was  not 
the  “Rebel  Yell”  that  so  often  has  been  described  as  sending 
the  blood  of  the  enemy  to  his  heart  in  sickening  alarm.  It 
was  not  the  yell  of  a rabble,  at  the  heels  of  some  demagogue. 
That  parting  meant  to  those  men  deep  regret,  and  pride. 
They  would  cheer  their  commander  on  his  way  and  would 
cheer  him  assurance  that  his  faith  in  them  would  never  be 
misplaced. 

After  Mrs.  Jackson  had  gone  to  her  home  in  North  Caro- 
lina, Jackson’s  former  pastor.  Rev.  Dr.  White,  of  Lexington,  as 
is  related,  visited  him  at  his  camp,  and  on  his  arrival,  Jackson 
met  him  with  the  most  hurried  greeting  and  at  once  went  to 
his  duties,  although  the  closest  relationship  existed  between 
them,  and  the  invitation  to  come  and  preach  to  his  men 
had  come  from  JacksOn  himself.  This  will  show  that  Jack- 
son  never  permitted  anything  to  disturb  his  business  affairs  in 
the  army.  But  his  duties  over,  he  came  back,  and  with  that 
pleasant  smile  for  which  he  was  noted,  when  not  absorbed 
by  military  matters,  he  was  the  same  Jackson  the  preacher 
knew  at  Lexington. 

It  was  here  that  Jackson  for  the  first  time  prayed  in  pub- 
lic with  his  soldiers ; and  on  this  occasion  he  did  so  at  the  re- 
quest of  his  old  pastor.  Dr.  White  afterwards  said,  “Jack- 


276 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


son  took  the  sacred  volume,  read,  and  then  prayed.  I can 
never,  while  life  lasts,  forget  that  prayer.  He  prayed  for  my 
ministry,  his  old  church,  and  with  fervor,  that  God  would 
baptize  the  whole  army  with  His  Holy  Spirit. 

“When  we  had  risen  from  our  knees,  he  stood  before  his 
camp  fire  (it  was  at  night)  with  that  calm  dignity  of  mien 
and  tender  expression  of  countenance  for  which  he  was  so  re- 
markable, and  said,  ‘Doctor,  I would  be  glad  to  learn  more 
fully  than  I have  yet  done,  what  your  views  are  of  the  prayer 
of  faith?’  A conversation  then  followed,  which  lasted  until 
long  after  midnight,  in  which,  it  is  candidly  confessed,  the 
pastor  received  more  instruction  than  he  inparted.” 

A picture  is  given  in  this  book,  of  a prayer-meeting  of  Jack- 
son’s camp,  and  we  can  see  in  that,  and  recognize  men  who 
are  to-day  with  us,  and  who  many  times  afterwards  were  at 
these  meetings  of  Jackson’s.  The  Southern  army  had  many 
good  men  who  tried  to  lead  and  did  lead  many  of  their  com- 
rades to  the  throne  of  their  Heavenly  Ruler. 

In  a letter  to  his  wife,  he  described  his  room  at  Mr. 
Grigsby’s — where  he  had  his  headquarters — with  the  most  ex- 
act details,  even  naming  each  picture  on  the  walls,  the  pieces 
of  furniture  and  everything  about  him.  He  always  had  time 
to  give  to  his  family  (then  only  consisting  of  a young  wife) 
those  attentions  that  help  to  heal  the  pain  of  separation. 

On  the  4th  of  November,  he  writes  his  wife.  “This  morn- 
ing I received  orders  to  proceed  to  Winchester.  I am  con- 
signed to  the  military  district  of  the  Northern  frontier,  be- 
tween the  Blue  Ridge  and  the  Alleghany  mountains.  I trust 
I may  be  able  to  send  for  you  after  I get  settled.  How  do  you 
like  the  programme?  I don’t  expect  much  sleep  to-night,  as 
my  desire  is  to  travel  all  night  if  necessary,  for  the  purpose  of 
reaching  Winchester  before  day  to-morrow. 

“I  shall  have  great  labor  to  perform,  but  through  the  bless- 
ings of  our  ever  kind  Heavenly  Father,  I trust  that  he  will  en- 
able me  to  accomplish  it.  My  trust  is  in  God  for  the  defence 
of  that  country  (the  valley).”  Jackson’s  fondness  of  the  val- 
ley was  at  all  times  very  strong.  Even  in  peace  he  often  wrote 
and  spoke  of  the  beauty  and  abundance  of  God’s  blessings  on 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  277 

lhat  grand  and  historic  region.  We  give  many  pictures  of  the 
valley. 

Throughout  the  whole  Southern  country,  where  ever  you 
go,  and  the  subject  of  the  war  happens  to  be  named,  men  in 
all  walks  and  conditions  of  life  who  were  in  that  valley — the 
famed  Shenandoah  Valley  of  Virginia — during  the  war,  will 
at  once  bring  up  their  campaigns  of  this  truly,  to  them,  sacred 
region.  Over  its  beautiful  roads  they  marched  with  Jackson, 
and  after  his  death  with  Ewell,  Early,  and  others.  On  its 
great  fields,  often  covered  with  ripening  or  growing  grain, 
they  had  fought  desperately. 

They  tell  of  the  scenery,  the  mountains  bordering  the  great 
valley,  the  cold  springs  of  w'ater  from  which  on  many  a forced 
march,  when  parched  from  thirst,  they  drank  as  only  thirsty 
men  can  drink  ; of  the  soft  invigorating  breezes  and  radiant 
nights,  of  the  hospitality  and  devotion  and  loyalty  of  its  peo- 
ple, who  had  armies  upon  their  hands  from  the  beginning  to 
the  close  of  the  war,  and  yet  never  once  murmured,  but  shared 
their  last  crust  with  the  men  from  their  own  and  sister  States. 

Many  Southern  families  have  a father,  brother  or  uncles 
sleeping  the  sleep  of  the  brave  in  the  Valley  of  Virginia.  The 
Shenandoah  Valley  will  forever  be  to  the  South  a spot  most 
dear;  and  the  South  will  never  forget  the  devotion  of  its  peo- 
ple to  her  sons  during  the  trying  years  of  the  war. 

All  through  the  valley,  which  extends  from  Harper’s  Ferry 
to  Lexington  and  is  from  fifteen  to  thirty  miles  in  width,  are 
roads  called  turn-pikes.  They  are  covered  with  stones,  broken 
into  small  pieces,  making  a very  hard,  firm,  and  smooth  road, 
known  as  macadamized  and  so  called  in  honor  of  a man  by  the 
name  of  MacAdam,  who*  first  made  this  kind  of  road  in 
England.  The  lands  are  very  fertile ; great  quantities  of 
wheat,  corn,  oats,  hay,  and  other  cereals  are  raised  there. 

Stock  thrive  and  become  very  fat  on  the  rich  blue  grass  and 
clover,  which  in  many  parts  of  the  valley  grow  without  cul- 
tivation. The  dairy  products,  butter  and  milk  are  not  surpassed 
anywhere  in  the  world.  The  valley  was  called  by  Jackson 
“the  store-house  of  the  Confederacy,”  as  its  grain  and  cattle 
could  support  the  entire  army  nearly. 


278  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson 

It  was  of  this  valley  that  a general  in  the  Invader’s  army, 
Sheridan,  said  officially  : “I  have  destroyed  over  two  thou- 
sand barns  filled  with  wheat,  hay-farming  implements,  etc.  I 
have  destroyed  seventy-five  mills  filled  with  flour  and  wheat. 
I have  driven  in  front  of  my  army  four  thousand  head  of  stock 
and  killed  for  my  army  three  thousand  sheep.”  This  same 
person,  with  whom  Weyler  of  Cuban  fame  fought,  and  a pres- 
ident of  the  United  States  followed,  is  on  record  as  saying, 
“A  crow  will  have  to  take  its  rations  along,  if  it  flies  over  the 
Shenandoah  Valley.”  What  American  can  applaud  this  cruel 
brag,  or  defend  its  horrible  criminality.'* 

The  valley  was  of  value  not  only  to  the  Confederate  army 
as  a depot  of  supplies,  and  therefore  must  be  retained  in  its 
possession,  but  if  permitted  to  fall  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy, 
would  give  them  great  additional  resources  to  their  already 
vast  supplies  from  all  over  the  North,  East  and  West,  of 
everything  an  army,  fifty  times  its  size,  could  need. 

Jackson  was  put  in  the  position  to  practically  protect  a 
frontier  of  between  one  hundred  and  fifty  and  two  hundred 
miles,  and  given — as  far  as  his  command  awaiting  him  at 
Winchester  was  concerned — a handful  of  militia  to  do  this 
with.  His  devotion  to  duty  compelled  him  to  write  at  once 
to  Richmond  and  express  his  views  of  the  proper  steps  to  be 
taken,  to  not  only  regain  the  great  loss  to  the  South  by  the 
unsuccessful  campaigns  then  ending  in  the  northern  part  of 
Virginia,  but  to  drive  the  enemy  out  of  the  State,  and  arrange 
to  keep  them  out. 

His  advice  was  rejected  and  additional  disaster  followed. 
Jackson  by  his  vigorous  habits,  and  from  the  regard  and  con- 
fidence the  country  had  in  him,  soon  got  together  3,000  troops, 
volunteers  and  recruits.  Winter  came  on,  and  the  northwest 
of  Virginia  was  being  invaded  by  the  enemy,  and  Jackson 
showed  the  authorities  at  Richmond  that  all  delays  would  only 
add  to  the  strength  of  the  Invaders,  and  crush  out  any  hope  of 
support  from  that  section  of  Virginia,  as  men  there  would  join 
the  Invaders,  which  they  finally  did. 

Eventually  the  authorities  realized  that  Jackson  was  not 
only  a fighter  and  an  executive  military  man,  but  was  a strate- 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  279 

gist  of  clear  and  powerful  ability.  It  seemed  that  everything 
]ackson  won  from  Richmond  was  after  he  had  done  some- 
thing or  proved  something.  He  wms  never  officially  allowed 
to  plan  and  handle  his  own  resources.  When  he  “broke 
away”  and  acted  on  his  own  responsibility,  as  he  was  at  times 
forced  to  do,  he  proved  his  capacity, 

Loring,  Jackson  of  Georgia,  S.  R.  Anderson,  Edward 
Johnson,  Taliaferro,  and  other  commanders  of  forces,  large 
and  small,  were  finally  sent  to  Jackson.  The  Stonewall 
Brigade  was  with  him  now,  and  he  felt  invincible  with  all 
these  brave  troops  from  the  different  sections.  His  genius  for 
war,  or  inspiration^  as  some  men  in  after  years  have  called 
his  wonderful  foresight,  impelled  him  to  attack  the  enemy  and 
draw  them  away  from  the  west,  and  at  the  same  time  drive 
them  before  him  out  of  Virginia  before  others  could  arrive. 

Audacity  was  one  of  his  strong  points.  If  he  were  alive  to- 
day and  war  in  progress,  he  would  be  called  by  some,  what 
boys  call  a “bluffer,”  but  his  audacity  was  not  bluster  or 
bluffing  of  the  kind  that  weakens  and  fails.  His  was  extremely 
dangerous  to  meet,  as  the  enemy  always  found  out  when 
they  tried  to  test  it,  or  prove  him  only  a weak  bluffer.  Jack- 
son  would  astound  an  enemy  or  so  completely  surprise  him 
that  he  was  whipped  before  he  knew  it. 

The  winter  was  a very  severe  one,  and  many  of  the  men 
from  the  South  remember  to  this  day  the  winter  of  1861,  and 
it  is  said  that  the  winters  of  the  war  were  much  colder  than 
they  are  now;  certainly  not  as  much  snow  falls  now  in  the 
winter  as  fell  then  in  that  country.  The  enemy  were  in 
the  mountains  and  around  that  section.  Up  about  Romney, 
Virginia,  Handsock,  Maryland,  and  Cumberland,  Maryland, 
reaching  miles  up  and  down  the  B.  & O.  Railroad,  which 
brought  them  in  direct  connection  with  the  West,  and  from 
the  East  and  North  by  Hagerstown,  Marjdand. 

The  enemy  were  killing  the  stock,  burning  mills,  barns  and 
private  dwellings,  killing  old  men  and  committing  all  kinds 
of  outrages  not  in  keeping  with  civilized  warfare.  In  an  official 
report  of  General  Jackson,  as  free  as  he  was  ever  from  any 
harsh  language,  he  refers  to  “the  conduct  of  the  reprobate  Fed- 


28o 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


eral  commanders.”  It  must  have  been  very  grave  and  dastardly 
to  call  forth  such  expression  from  Jackson.  Tanneries  were 
destroyed  and  the  “hides  slit  into  ribbons.”  Gardens  and  or- 
chards were  destroyed,  private  yards  were  torn  up  by  the 
trampling  of  cavalry ; many  dwellings  were  converted  into 
stables  and  the  wainscoting  and  other  parts  of  their  wood- 
work made  kindling-wood  of. 

Even  the  churches,  except  one — and  this  the  commander 
kept  for  an  office — did  not  escape  the  hands  of  the  Invaders! 
It  was  no  doubt  the  fate  of  the  latter  properties  that  so  shocked 
Jackson.  He  could  not  refrain  putting  on  record  the  deeds  of 
persons  who  could  do  all  these  things  in  a defenceless  village, 
away  up  in  the  mountains  where  there  were  no  men  to  de- 
fend. Those  remaining  out  of  the  army  of  their  State,  they 
either  forced  into  their  army  or  sent  to  the  rear  as  prisoners — 
a more  distressing  fate  than  being  prisoners  were  sometimes 
thrust  upon  them. 

We  do  not  mention  these  facts  to  engender  ill-feeling  in  the 
rising  generation  ; but  such  facts  should  be  known  ; what  the 
Southern  women  and  children  in  their  defenseless  homes  wit- 
nessed and  suffered,  and  why  the  men  of  the  South  fought  as 
men  never  had  before,  after  receiving  letters  from  their  loved 
ones  telling  of  these  horrible  outrages.  This  little  town  in  the 
mountains  of  Virginia  is  not  alone  in  the  experience  of  such 
vandalism. 

All  over  the  South,  from  one  end  to  the  other,  there  are 
tracks  of  wanton  ruthlessness ; acts  perpetrated  by  her  ene- 
mies, the  effects  of  which  centuries  will  not  remove.  We  have 
seen  portraits  hanging  on  the  walls  of  many  homes  in  the 
South  through  which  bayonets  had  been  run  by  persons  in  the 
invading  armies,  who  had  neither  national  nor  personal  re- 
spect. 

Generations  yet  unborn  will  ask  concerning  the  mutilations 
of  their  ancestors’  portraits.  What  must  the  answer  beJ 

Tapestries  that  cost  a small  fortune  were  smeared  with 
grease ; carpets  from  the  Orient  cut  to  pieces ; musical  instru- 
ments battered  with  axes ; paintings  purchased  from  masters 
shot  with  bullets;  heavy  plate  mirrors,  reaching  from  floor 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


to  ceiling,  crashed  like  cobwebs  ; furniture  of  mahogany  and 
rosewood  handed  down  for  generations,  about  which  clung 
memories  dear  almost  as  life  itself,  thrown  into  heaps  and 
burned;  libraries,  relics,  heirlooms,  china,  cut-glass  and  a 
hundred  other  articles  of  home  and  family  service,  even  in- 
cluding clothing,  were  treated  as  junk,  and  destroyed  in  the 
presence  of  helpless  and  pleading  women. 

Sick  persons  were  driven  from  their  beds  while  the  torch 
was  put  to  their  homes.  Jewels,  silver  and  gold-plate  were 
taken  wdth  wanton  desecration.  Insults  w'ere  thrust  into  the 
face  of  defenceless  women  whose  fathers  or  brothers  were  at 
the  front  fighting.  Every*  crime  in  the  list  of  desecration, 
ruffianism  and  outlawry  was  perpetrated. 

Thousands  of  Southern  homes  were  despoiled  and  dese- 
crated. We  know  of  instances  where  silver-plate  has  been 
displayed  upon  the  tables  of  Northern  persons  w'ith  the  names 
of  the  Southern  owners  still  upon  the  spoons,  forks,  knives, 
ladles,  etc.,  etc.  Watches,  rings,  jewels  worn  without  so 
much  as  removing  the  names  of  the  Southern  families. 

Many  a heart  was  broken  from  the  wrongs  done  by  these 
motly  multitudes,  of  what  the  press  of  the  North  called  “‘the 
flower  of  our  loyal  and  patriotic  citizenship.”  All  men  in  the 
Invader  army  were  not  of  the  rioting  and  vandal  stripe  or 
class,  but  the  results  to  the  South  are  the  same ; and  the  stain 
can  never  be  washed  out ; the  arms  of  that  cruel  and  unholy 
warfare  upon  a weaker  portion  of  a common  country  will  ever 
be  disgraced. 

Many  of  the  newspapers  in  North,  East  and  West  (see  the 
files  of  the  Northern  press  from  ‘6i  to  ’65,)  deplored  these 
outrages ; but  the  rankling  hate,  the  vicious  inclinations  of  a 
majority  of  the  invaders  would  not  heed  moral,  social,  religious 
or  any^  decent  thought  or  plea,  and  resolved  themselves  into  a 
band  of  blood-thirsty  outlaws. 

When  Jackson’s  army  reached  Romney,  these  desecraters 
had  heard  of  his  approach  and  had  gone  beyond  there,  out  of 
the  State.  They  had  done  these  things,  anticipating  such  a 
defeat,  as  their  experience  in  the  contest  with  other  Confeder- 
ate forces  left  them  no  doubt  but  that  Jackson’s  men  would 
destroy  them. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


ROMNEY  CAMPAIGN — WINTER  AND  SUFFERING CRITICISMS 

JACKSON  RESIGNS A THRILLING  EPISODE  IN  WHICH 

Jackson’s  mighty  spirit  flashed  its  indigna- 
tion— apologized  to  and  urged  from  all 

PARTS  OF  THE  COUNTRY  TO  RECONSIDER 
RESIGNATION,  HE  COMPLIES — COM- 
PARED WITH  GEORGE 
WASHINGTON. 

. Let  US  go  back  and  follow  Jackson’s  army  in  this  historic 
march.  We  have  said  the  winter  was  severe.  During  De- 
cember Jackson  took  some  of  his  men,  and  cut  the  locks  on 
the  Chesapeake  and  Potomac  Canal,  to  further  close  the  com- 
munications of  the  enemy.  The  soldiers  worked  four  days  at 
this  in  water  waist-deep,  and  freezing  cold,  but  they  cut  the 
locks  and  turned  the  water  out  of  the  canal.  This  was  done, 
too,  under  fire  of  the  enemy.  It  was  a very  dangerous  task, 
as  the  enemy  shelled  the  men  with  cannon,  but  they  did  not 
kill  any  of  them  except  one  soldier,  who  was  acting  as  a 
guard. 

On  the  ist  day  of  January,  1862,  Jackson  began  his  march 
into  the  mountains,  which  march  surpasses  Napoleon’s  passing 
the  Alps.  He  took  8,500  men,  five  batteries  of  artillery  and 
a few  companies  of  cavalry;  among  them,  the  famous  Turner 
Ashby’s.  This  officer  had  a brother  killed,  or  murdered,  in  a 
previous  campaign,  and  kneeling  down  beside  the  lifeless 
form  of  his  brother,  Turner  took  his  sword  and  turning  its 
blade  to  the  heavens,  swore  that  in  all  time  to  come  he  would 
avenge  his  brother.  This  he  did,  and  Turner  Ashby’s  name 
became  a terror  to  the  Invaders  ever  after. 

The  day  the  march  up  the  mountain  began,  the  weather  was 
like  spring,  and  men  laid  aside  their  overcoats  and  blankets 
to  enable  them  to  move  faster,  as  the  sun  was  so  hot.  That 
evening  a snow  fell ; a bitter  wind  began  to  blow,  and  by 
282 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


283 


night  the  men  nearly  froze,  as  the  wagons  with  the  clothes, 
etc. , were  unable  to  catch  up  on  account  of  the  snow,  sleet 
and  icy  roads.  It  was  one  of  the  most  severe  incidents  of 
Jackson’s  army  career.  At  one  time  he  himself  aided  in 
moving,  with  his  shoulder  to  the  wheel,  a stalled  cannon. 
The  men  clung  to  their  leader,  and  made  the  best  of  the 
situation.  The  icy  roads  caused  them  to  slip,  and  now  and 
then  a man  would  fall  and  his  gun  explode  the  charge. 

On  this  march  Jackson  said  there  was  no  time  to  stop  and 
eat — that  everything  was  possible  with  his  brigade.  They 
all  slept  under  the  snow,  and  ate  when  they  could.  The  roads 
were  unfrequented,  as  Jackson  took  the  shortest  cuts,  intend- 
ing to  prevent  the  enemy  from  seeing  him.  This  state  of 
affairs,  so  fearful  to  read  of,  even,  let  alone  suffer,  lasted  for 
several  days  and  nights.  This  was  no  fault  of  Jackson’s  or 
of  the  officers,  as  the  men,  on  the  day  they  set  out,  refused  to 
be  burdened  in  the  hot  sun  with  their  overcoats,  blankets, 
knapsacks  and  rations. 

Some  of  the  men,  not  of  Jackson’s  old  brigade,  began  to  de- 
sert ; and  they  can  not  be  blamed,  for  some  of  their  officers 
actually  cursed  Jackson  before  their  men,  and  spoke  of  him  as 
“a  lunatic”  to  undertake  such  a trip.  The  shame  of  these  of- 
ficers must  have  been  great  in  after  days,  and  even  on  that 
campaign,  when  they  saw  what  Jackson  accomplished. 

On  January  4th  they  overtook  the  enemy,  and  at  once  drove 
them  in.  The  men  of  the  dissatisfied  portion  of  his  army 
acted  so  slowly  that,  although  Jackson  in  person  entered  the 
town  ahead  of  the  skirmish  lines,  he  found  the  enemy  had 
flown.  He  was  greatly  chagrined,  but  he  threw  out  various 
regiments  and  they  followed  the  enemy  and  drove  them.  On 
the  next  day  Jackson  was  at  Hancock,  Maryland,  and  he  sent 
Ashby  into  the  town  blindfold  to  demand  the  Invader’s  com- 
mander to  remove  the  women  and  children,  as  he  intended  to 
shell  the  town.  This  was  refused. 

Jackson  saw  the  trick  was  to  force  him  to  shell  a town  with 
women  in  it,  and  thus  the  Invaders  would  be  protected,  for 
they  had  heard  of  the  great  humanity  of  Jackson,  and  thought 
he  would  not  shell  as  long  as  non-combatants  were  there. 


2S4  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

But  in  this  they  mistook  their  man.  He  poured  a hot  fire  into 
the  town,  and  every  Invader  ran.  destroyed  -some  of  the 

munitions  of  war  that  he  found  and  captured,  and  left  for  the 
main  object  of  his  campaign. 

His  teams  were  nearly  exhausted  from  their  falls  on  the  ice, 
and  the  men  needed  rest  also,  so  he  halted  for  a time ; and  he 
pressed  on  after  this  halt  only  to  find  the  enemy  had  again 
run  away.  He  took  the  stores  of  all  kinds  which  they  had 
left.  These  were  very  valuable,  and  he  l>ud  accomplished  the 
aims  of  his  campaign,  driven  the  enemy  from  Virginia. 

It  is  surprising  that  more  of  these  army  jealousies  were  not 
developed  in  the  early  days  of  this  war,  peculiarly  a fruitful 
field  for  envy  and  jealousy,  as  the  officers  were  mainly  elected 
or  appointed  from  among  men  of  the  “ruling  class”  (the 
South  had  no  established  army  at  the  beginning  of  the  war) 
and  all  wanted  to  gain  rank. 

These  shafts  aimed  at  Jackson  were  unavailing.  His  star 
was  in  the  ascendency,  he  was  gathering  strength  constantly. 
He  did  not  permit  any  prejudices,  jealousies  or  premature 
enmity  that  might  be  directed  against  him  to  influence  his 
course  in  the  slightest  way,  as  far  as  the  scrupulous  discharge 
of  his  duty  was  concerned. 

His  experience  in  Mexico,  and  up  to  the  present  in  his  sec- 
ond war,  and  his  good  sense  supported  him  in  calmly  viewing 
results  of  this  short,  sharp  campaign  in  the  frozen  mountains. 
He  had  freed  the  Virginia  frontier  of  the  Invader  army,  cap- 
tured valuables,  stores,  munition,  etc.,  taught  good  men  a pri- 
mary lesson  in  winter  campaign  and  warfare,  and  spread  con- 
sternation and  mistrust  through  the  North.  Had  done  all 
these  things  in  less  than  a fortnight  and  lost  but  four  men. 

He  proceeded  to  place  General  Loring  and  his  troops  in 
winters  quarters  at  Romney,  and  made  other  distributions  of 
commands  to  protect  the  frontier  safely.  He  built  a line  of 
telegraph  from  Romney  to  Winchester,  forty  miles,  and  had 
the  brigades  so  stationed  that  at  any  time  each  could  be  rallied 
to  support  the  other.  But  nothing  he  had  done  appeared  to 
shield  him  from  the  attacks  of  those  who  were  unfriendly  to 
him. 


^'alIe_y  Turnpike,  Paralleled  by  B.  & O.  R.  R. 


A Valley  Battlefield  near  B & O.  R.  R. 


LT.  GENERAL  D.  H.  HILL, 
Brother-in-law  of  Jackson  and,  like  A.  F.  Hill, 
one  of  his  main  sup]iorts.) 


One  way  to  “vamos.”  (From  “CaiTi|i-fires  of  the  Confederac}^ 


A Confederate  Soldier  who  ga\  e thousands  of  dollars  to  DANIEL  DECATUR  EMMETl . 

the  “Stonewall’’  Cemetery  at  Winchester.  Author  of  “Dixie’s  Land.’’ — Written  in  New  \ ork  in  '1859. 


Story  op'  Stonewall  Jackson. 


289 


Some  said  he  was  a good  enough  officer  for  a parade  ground 
(hinting  at  his  former  position  at  the  V M.  I.  Lexington)  ; 
others,  that  he  could  carry  out  the  plans  of  superior  officers, 
and  was  a good  fighter  under  others ; but  was  rash  and  inca- 
pable of  forming  campaigns  and  conducting  movements  and 
commanding  independent  divisions.  Even  accusing  him  of 
being  anxious  to  display  himself  and  pander  to  his  vanity, 
nothing  could  be  more  unjust  than  these  harsh,  and  utterly 
untrue  comments. 

Relatives  of  men  in  his  command  were  clamorous  for  his  re- 
call or  “taking  down,”  and  bitterly  attacked  the  “unfeeling 
upstart.”  If  Jackson  was  aware  of  these  outbreaks  and 
tirades,  no  one  discovered  any  effect. 

He  was  also  accused  of  being  partial  to  his  old  brigade — 
Stonewall  Brigade.  Some  of  the  troops  called  this  com- 
mand “Mud  Fence  Brigade,”  “Jackson’s  Pet  Lambs”  etc. 
Many  charged  him  with  keeping  “Jackson’s  Fa-vo-rites,”  as 
the  Stonewall  Brigade  was  also  called,  in  the  rear,  “leaving 
Loring’s  troops  in  the  Alpine  mountains  to  do  all  the  freezing 
and  fighting  while  his  brigade  was  in  comfortable  quarters  in 
a town.”  Just  the  reverse  of  these  charges  was  true,  Loring’s 
men  were  in  cabins,  while  Jackson’s  men  were  in  tents  and 
consequently  more  exposed  to  the  weather ; nor  were  they  in 
a town — Winchester — but  were  some  distance  away  and  in  the 
open  country. 

The  government  at  Richmond  had  promised  Loring  that  he 
could  retain  his  troops.  Had  this  not  been  the  case,  and  the 
envied  Stonewall  Brigade  had  been  left  with  Loring  and  Lor. 
ing’s  troops  taken  from  him,  what  manner  of  complaints  and 
charges  would,  in  such  an  event,  been  trumped  up  against  the 
self-sacrificing  Jackson,  who  had  suffered  all  the  ills  and  priva- 
tions of  the  campaign  as  a private  soldier.  ^ 

Jackson  was  too  thoroughly  disciplined  and  discreet,  to  per- 
mit this  caviling  to  drive  him  into  explaining  his  policy  or 
plans.  He  was  thorough  in  the  scheme  of  his  military  com- 
binations and  his  knowledge  of  the  dangers  surrounding  him. 
He  knew  where  the  real  position  of  danger  w'as,  and  under- 
stood Banks,  and  resolutely  and  gallantly  took  that  position  of 


290 


SxOllY  OF  Stonkwali,  Iackso.v 


danger.  The  hint  that  he  left  Loring  to  face  greater  dangers, 
is  preposterous.  He  had  driven  the  enemy  from  -the  country 
occupied  then  by  Loring.  The  severe  conditions  of  the  weath- 
er, the  almost  impassible  mountain  roads,  rendered  attack  upon 
the  country  occupied  by  Loring  most  improbable;  while  the 
exposed  position  of  Winchester  and  the  wide  open  valley  turn- 
pike, unguarded,  rendered  attack  upon  Winchester  and  the 
Virginia  Valley  almost  certain  ; and  subsequent  events  proved 
the  wisdom  of  Jackson’s  move. 

' Jackson,  tliough  mild-mannered  and  indulgent,  when  mili- 
tary matters  were  involved  he  was  a severe  disciplinarian, 
and  ail  who  were  associated  wdth  him,  under  his  command, 
were  compelled  to  submit  to  rigid  army  regulations — get 
"broken  into  harness,”  as  it  wmre.  This  chafed  many  of  the 
high-strung  Southerners,  who  were  placed  in  his  command, 
but  when  they  learned  to  know  him  and  his  noble,  brave  and 
just  nature,  not  one  but  would  cheerfully  submit  to  and  obey 
his  regulations  and  execute  his  orders  at  any  hazard.  He  was 
aware  of  his  manner  or  system  of  conducting  the  affairs  of 
army  life  and  war  being  displeasing  to  men  not  yet  familiar 
with  his  reasons  and  style,  but  he  did  not  allow  any  differing 
-with  his  rules  and  regulations,  to  alter  in  the  slightest  degree 
his  direct  plans  of  executing  duty,  as  he  saw  it. 

We  have  known  men  who  served  with  Jackson  to  state  as 
their  conviction  that  Jackson  was  without  a peer,  as  a com 
mander;  and  refer  to  his  marvellous  comprehension,  con- 
trol of  details  and  discipline,  as  the  foundation  of  the  confi- 
dence which  his  fighting  men  and  officers  had  in  him,  without 
exception. 

A soldier  of  his  old  brigade  used  to  relate  how  the  gen- 
eral caught  him  sitting  down  on  his  post  while  on  guard  duty 
near  his  quarters,  a dereliction  into  which  he  had  been  de- 
luded by  his  notions  of  these  abstractions.  He  said  after  he 
resumed  walking  his  beat,  the  general  came  out  fi'om  his  tent 
to  his  post  looking  perfectly  innocent  of  having  seen  his  de- 
fault. As  he  came  up  he  gave  him  the  salute  due  to  an 
officer,  but  felt  some  misgivings.  But  Jackson,  he  said, 
entered  upon  a fatherly  inquiry  as  to  his  rations,  clothing, 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson 


291 


Drawing  Cannon  up  the  Mountains. 


293  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

quarters,  etc.,  that  showed  such  an  interest  in  him  that  he  felt 
sure  that  an  object  of  such  consideration  from  the  General  was 
in  the  way  of  rapid  promotion.  He  then  catechised  him  as  to 
his  duties  as  a sentinel  and  wound  up  by  asking  him  what  he 
would  do  if  anything  unusual  happened  on  his  beat.  '‘I’d 
call  the  corporal  of  the  guard,”  said  the  soldier  proudly 
“Then  call  him,”  said  the  General.  He  called  and  the  cor- 
poral appeared.  “Take  this  man  to  the  guard-house  and  con- 
fine him  ten  days  for  sitting  down  on  his  post.” 

Judge  Lyle,  of  Texas,  who  was  an  officer  in  the  Stonewall 
Brigade,  relates  the  above  in  a lecture  upon  Stonewall  Jack- 
son,  and  adds;  “Visions  of  promotion,  vanished!” 

Affairs  grew  more  unpleasant,  and  finally  a petition  was 
sent  to  Richmond,  signed  by  General  Loring’s  men,  asking 
to  be  relieved  from  encampment  near  Romney.  Rather  a 
strange  proceeding  for  soldiers— -asking  for  relief  from  sup- 
posed danger.  Particularly  was  this  a radical  move  when 
countenanced  by  the  authorities  at  Richmond.  The  Secretary 
of  War,  without  consulting  either  Johnston,  who  was  in  com- 
mand of  the  whole  Department,  or  Jackson,  in  immediate 
command  of  the  District,  telegraphed  Jackson,  “Our  news  in- 
dicates that  a movement  is  making  to  cut  off  General  Loring’s 
command,  order  him  back  to  Winchester  immediately.” 
Where  they  got  their  “news,”  was  of  itself  a very  startling 
surprise  to  Jackson,  and  the  inte  ference.  without  consulta- 
tion, disgusted  him,  but  he  obeyed  promptly  and  strictly,  and 
the  troops  under  Loring  abandoned  their  position  and  came 
to  Winchester. 

This  action  of  the  Secretary  of  War  (one  of  those  official 
“breaks”  that  are  now  looked  upon  charitably,  but  none  the 
less  contributed  to  the  defeat  of  the  South’s  struggle)  vio- 
lently disconcerted  Jackson’s  plans ; and  with  characteristic 
promptness,  spirit  and  independence,  he  at  once  applied  him- 
self to  inditing  his  resignation  from  the  army  (or  rather  his 
official  position  with  the  army) . 

Some  may  consider  this  act  of  resigning,  after  such  a vigor- 
ous fashion,  displayed  temper.  But  no  one  will  entertain 
the  idea  after  reviewing  the  brilliant  services  of  Jackson  and 


Story  of  Sto.vewall  Jackson.  293 

the  peculiar  treatment  involved  in  this  act  of  the  Secretary  of 
War.  There  had  been  other  transactions  that  were  not  calcu- 
lated to  give  him  either  pleasure  or  satisfaction. 

He  could  not  escape  the  conviction  that  such  trifling  and 
meddling  in  war  matters  must  not  be  tolerated  or  temporized 
with.  He,  for  one,  would  not  countenance  interruption  from 
sources  unmilitary  and  demoralizing.  He  could  but  conclude, 
for  the  sake  of  all  concerned,  there  was  for  him  but  one  re- 
course, and  that  one  he  immediately  adopted ; he  tendered, 
therefore,  his  resignation  in  justice  to  himself  and  as  a means 
of  sparing  embarrassment  on  his  account,  at  Richmond. 

His  resignation  at  this  period — when  the  kaleidoscope  of 
war  was  almost  daily  presenting  new  complications  and  com- 
binations— gives  an  insight  into  the  independence  of  his  na- 
ture, and  exposes  the  weakness  of  the  administration  at  Rich- 
mond, in  which  there  were  men  who  likely  should  not  have 
been  connected  with  the  government,  and  particularly  in  the 
instance  of  certain  ones  whose  presence  in  the  cabinet,  it  has 
been  currently  asserted,  the  president  was  informed  would  be 
injurious  ; subsequent  events  prove  the  information  not  alto- 
gether unfounded  or  unreliable. 

There  appears  to  be  much  of  what  might  be  called  political 
interference  in  republican  forms  of  government  as  regards  the 
relationship  between  the  civil  and  military  departments  ; and 
while  the  relationship  betw'een  the  tw'o  in  times  of  peace  is 
not  especially  liable  to  be  brought  in  conflict,  there  is  no 
doubt  existing  in  the  minds  of  military  men  that  in  times  of 
war  there  is  not  only  considerable  interference  in  conflict,  but 
considerable  friction.  It  appears  that  armies  in  the  field  are 
under  cabinet  control  to  such  an  extent  that  comment  and  com- 
plaint, as  well  as  confusion  and  injury,  are  almost  continual. 
The  time  must  come  when  the  army  and  navy  of  the  United 
.States  will  in  time  of  war,  if  at  no  other  period,  be  governed 
by  a War  Commission,  comprising  men  who  are  well  equipped 
in  military  experience  and  possessed  with  sound  business 
and  executive  ability — entirely  separated  from  every  possible 
political  dependence  or  entanglement.  The  army  and  navy 
will  have  to  be  taken  from  under  the  frame-w'ork  of  preten- 


394  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

t’ous  military  politicians,  and  greatest  care  observed  to  guard 
it  against  presidential  and  cabinet,  ministerial  and  military 
ambitions;  and  the  blights  liable  to  affect  the  ablest  adminis- 
tration and  management  of  a war,  for  example,  spite,  jealous- 
ies and  favoritisms. 

Jackson,  in  his  official  report,  says,  “I  promptly  complied 
with  the  order  (meaning  the  order  from  the  secretary  of  war 
who  had  ordered  him  to  withdraw  General  I^oring  after  he, 
Jackson,  had  placed  him  in  position  to  hold  the  frontier  in 
that  section),  but  in  doing  so,  forwarded  to  the  Secretary  of 
War  my  conditional  resignation.  Up  to  that  time,  God,  who 
had  so  wonderfully  blessed  us  during  the  war,  had  given  great 
success  to  the  efforts  for  protecting  loyal  citizens  in  their 
rights,  and  in  recovering  and  holding  territory  in  this  district, 
which  had  been  overrun  by  the  enemy. 

“It  is  true  that  our  success  caused  much  exposure  and  suffer- 
ing to  the  command.  Several  nights  the  troops  had  to  bivouac, 
notwithstanding  the  inclemency  of  the  weather,  their  tents  not 
coming  up  on  account  of  the  bad  condition  of  the  roads ; yet 
every  command,  except  a part  of  General  Loring’s,  bore  up 
under  these  hardships  with  the  fortitude  becoming  patriotic 
soldiers. 

“General  Loring’s  evacuation  of  Romney  and  return  to  the 
vicinity  of  Winchester,  was  the  beginning  of  disasters.  The 
enemy,  who,  up  to  that  time,  had  been  acting  on  the  defen- 
sive, suddenly  changed  to  the  offensive  and  advanced  on 
Romney ; next,  drove  our  troops  out  of  Moorefield,  which  is 
near  Romney,  on  the  i2th  of  this  month  (February),  two  days 
after,  forced  our  militia  from  Bloomery  Pass,  thus  coming 
within  twenty-one  miles  of  W’^inchester  and  capturing  a num- 
ber of  prisoners.” 

This  is  a brief  demonstration  of  the  wrong  by  persons  in 
Richmond  in  attempting  to  take  such  a step  as  they  did,  with, 
out  first  communicating  with  General  Johnston,  who  was  the 
commander-in-chief  of  the  Department,  or  Jackson  who  was 
in  direct  command  of  the  Division. 

They  must  have  been  alarmed  when  they  heard  of  a com- 
munication from  Jackson  which  read  ; 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  295 

“IIeadc>jl’arters  Valley  District,  January  31,  1862. 
Hon.  P.  Benjamin . Secretary  of  War,  Richmond,  Va. 

Sir:  Your  order  requiring  me  to  direct  General  Loring  to  return 
with  his  command  to  Winchester  has  been  received  and  promptly  com- 
plied with.  With  such  interference  in  my  command,  I can  not  expect 
to  be  of  much  service  in  the  field,  and  I accordingly  respectfully  re- 
quest to  be  ordered  to  report  for  duty  to  the  Superintendent  of  the  Vir- 
ginia Military  Institute  at  Lexington,  as  has  been  done  in  the  case  of 
other  professors.  Should  this  application  not  be  granted,!  respectfully 
request  that  the  President  will  accept  my  resignation  from  the  army. 

I am,  sir,  very  respectfully  your  obedient  servant, 

T.  J.  Jackson, 
Major-General,  P.  A.  C.  S,” 

This  letter  was  sent  through  the  regular  military  channels, 
therefore  was  referred  to  General  Johnston,  Chief  in  Command 
of  the  Department.  He  forwarded  it  with  these  words  : 

“Headquarters,  Centreville,  February  7,  1862. 

Respectfully  forwarded  with  great  regret.  I don’t  know  how  the  loss 
of  this  officer  can  be  supplied.  General  officers  are  much  wanted  in 
this  department. 

J.  E.  Johnston,  General.” 

General  Johnston  then  wrote  Jackson  as  his  “dear  friend,” 
pleading  with  him  to  bear  with  the  government,  and  if  rea- 
soning with  it  failed, — 

“.  . . . then  ask  to  be  relieved  from  positions  the  authority  of 

which  is  exercised  by  the  War  Department,  while  the  responsibility  is 
left  with  us.  I have  taken  the  liberty  to  detain  your  letter  to  make  this 
appeal  to  your  patriotism,  not  merely  from  warm  feelings  of  persona! 
regard,  but  from  the  official  opinion  which  makes  me  regard  you  as  nec- 
essary to  the  service  of  the  country  in  your  present  position. 

Very  truly  yours, 

J.  E.  Johnston.” 

When  it  was  urged  upon  him  that  he  should  make  sacrifices 
for  the  sake  of  the  cause,  he  felt  this  was  adding  insult  to 
injury,  and  said:  “Sacrifices!  Have  I not  made  them? 
What  is  my  life  here  but  a daily  sacrifice?  Nor  shall  I ever 
withhold  sacrifices  for  my  country  where  they  avail  anything 
I intend  to  serve  her  everywhere,  in  any  way  in  which  I am 
permitted  with  effect,  even  if  it  be  as  a private  soldier.  But 
if  this  method  of  making  war  is  to  prevail,  which  they  seek 
to  establish  in  my  case,  the  country  is  ruined. 


296 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson 

“My  duty  to  her  requires  that  I shall  enter  my  protest 
against  it  in  the  most  energetic  form  in  my  power-,  and  that  is 
to  resign.”  He  also  wrote  the  ever  true  and  great  Letcher, 
Governor  of  Virginia;  “The  order  from  the  War  Depart- 
ment was  given  without  consulting  me,  and  is  abandoning  to 
the  enemy  what  has  cost  much  preparation,  expense  and  ex- 
posure to  secure,  and  is  in  direct  conflict  with  my  military 
plans,  and  implies  a want  of  confidence  in  my  capacity  to 
judge  when  General  Loring’s  troops  should  fall  back,  and  is 
an  attempt  to  control  military  operations  in  detail  from  the 
secretary’s  desk  at  a distance  ! 

“I  have,  for  the  reasons  set  forth  in  the  accompanying 
paper,  requested  to  be  sent  back  to  the  Institute,  if  this  is 
denied  me,  then  to  have  my  resignation  accepted.  I ask  as  a 
special  favor  that  you  will  have  me  ordered  back  to  the  Insti- 
tute, as  a single  order  like  that  of  the  Secretary’s  may  destroy 
the  entire  fruits  of  a campaign.  I cannot  reasonably  expect, 
if  my  operations  are  thus  to  be  interfered  with,  to  be  of 
much  service  in  the  field. 

“A  sense  of  duty  has  brought  me  into  the  field,  and  has  thus 
far  kept  me.  It  now  appears  to  be  my  duty  to  return  to 
the  Institute,  and  I hope  you  will  leave  no  stone  unturned  to 
get  me  there. 

“If  I ever  acquired,  through  the  blessing  of  Providence,  any 
influence  over  troops,  this  undoing  my  work  by  the  Secretary 
may  greatly  diminish  that  influence.  I regard  the  recent  ex- 
pedition as  a great  success.  I desire  to  say  nothing  against 
the  Secretary  of  War.  I take  it  for  granted  that  he  has 
•done  what  he  believes  to  be  best,  but  I regard  such  policy 
as  ruinous.” 

By  the  action  of  the  War  Department  at  Richmond,  the 
whole  of  the  noi'th western  territory  of  Virginia  (now  West 
Virginia)  was  soon  overrun  by  the  enemy,  and  never  again 
thrust  from  that  section. 

In  a month  Jackson  had  won  a principality,  the  North- 
west, and  the  War  Department  had  lost  it  by  one  stroke  of  a 
misguided  pen.  In  a month  the  great  heart  of  Jackson  had 
been  stuncr  to  the  core,  and  had  it  not  been  for  the  most  earn- 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  397 

est  appeals  of  friends  the  country  would  have  lost  Jackson, 
whom  Lee  called  “his  right  arm  and  in  this  loss  the  collapse 
of  the  Confederacy  would  have  come  before  the  breath  of  win- 
ter left  the  mountains. 

Had  Jackson  gone  from  the  army,  millions  of  dollars  would 
have  been  saved  to  this  country  and  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
lives  spared. 

The  resignation  of  Jackson  was  shaking  the  young  nation  ; 
men  looked  each  other  in  the  face  and  wondered.  Jackson  out 
of  the  army ! The  Confederacy  is  lost ! There  are  times  when 
men  feel  that  only  a single  moment  divides  success  from  fail- 
ure ; only  a blunder — one  mistake — can  crush  a nation ; feeling 
then,  this  to  be  true,  resentment  ran  high  against  the  course 
of  certain  persons,  and  to-day  it  is  impossible  to  forget  the 
wrong  done  a devoted  people  by  this  action. 

When  urged  by  soldiers,  officers,  ministers,  citizens  and 
all  sections  by  letters  and  personal  visitation  to  revoke  his  ac- 
tion, he  would  calmly  reply  : “The  authorities  must  be  taught 
a lesson,  or  else  at  a more  critical  moment  they  might  repeat 
such  an  act  and  lose  a man  like  Lee  or  Johnston.”  Many 
wrote  and  told  him  that  likely  the  government  had  been  mis- 
informed. To  one,  he  replied  : 

“Certainly  they  have,  but  they  must  be  taught  not  to  act  so 
hastily  without  a full  knowledge  of  the  facts.  I can  teach 
them  now  this  lesson  by  my  resignation,  and  the  country  will 
be  no  loser  by  it.  If  I fail  to  do  so,  an  irreparable  loss  may 
hereafter  be  sustained  when  the  lesson  might  have  to  be  taught 
by  a Lee  or  Johnston.” 

Little  did  he  know  how  important  were  his  services,  or 
when  the  time  came  and  death  should  take  him  from  the  peo- 
ple, that  his  country’s  independence  would  be  lost. 

He  told  a friend,  “No,  no;  you  greatly  over-estimate  my 
capacity  for  usefulness.  A better  man  will  soon  be  sent  to 
take  my  place.  The  government  has  no  confidence  in  my  ca- 
pacity, or  they  would  not  thus  countermand  my  orders  and 
throw  away  the  fruits  of  victory  that  have  been  securedat  such 
a sacrifice  of  the  comfort  of  my  noble  troops  in  their  hurried 
march  through  snow  and  sleet  and  storm.  No,  sir,  I must  re- 


298 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


sign  and  give  my  place  to  some  one  in  whom  they  have  more 
confidence.”  No  one  can  doubt  Jackson’s  realizing  the 
weakness  of  his  government  or  his  pangs  of  chivalrous  resent- 
ment. The  price  of  empire  was  Jackson’s  disparagement. 

At  the  time  when  Jackson’s  very  soul  was  stirred  within 
him  at  the  affront  offered  him  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  he  was 
boarding  with  Rev.  Dr.  Graham,  in  Winchester,  Virginia,  and 
his  wife  was  with  him.  We  will  now  give  an  exti'act  from  a 
very  entertaining  article  written  by  Dr.  Graham  and  con- 
tained in  Mrs.  Jackson’s  memoirs  of  her  husband. 

He  says  : “On  the  morning  of  the  thirty-first  of  January, 
1863,  going  early  to  his  office  as  usual,  he  found  this  order 
(from  the  secretary  of  war),  which  he  immediately  obeyed 
and  instantly  wrote  his  request  to  be  ordered  to  duty  at  Lex- 
ington, and  if  that  were  not  granted,  then  his  resignation  from 
the  army  be  accepted.  This  done,  he  returned  to  my  house 
perhaps  an  hour  earlier  than  usual,  but  appeared  at  breakfast 
at  the  appointed  time,  with  his  accustomed  serenity  of  man- 
ner. 

“In  a little  while  he  informed  us  in  a perfectly  calm  tone, 
that  he  and  Mrs.  Jackson  expected  soon  to  return  to  their 
home  in  Lexington. 

“Almost  immediately  he  mentioned,  as  an  ordinary  thing, 
the  fact  that  Loring’s  command  had  been  recalled  and  would 
be  in  Winchester.  To  my  hesitating  inquiry  if  this  was 
made  necessary  by  the  advance  of  a superior  Federal  force,  he 
replied,  ‘Oh,  no,  there  are  no  Federal  troops  in  my  district.’ 

“I  was  puzzled.  But  soon  the  whole  case  was  stated  and 
freely  discussed.  And  while  my  indignation  fairly  boiled 
when  the  true  nature  and  effect  of  the  affront  to  him  were  ap- 
prehended, his  own  spirit  did  not  appear  to  be  ruffled  in  the 
least.  His  tones  were  just  as  even,  his  words  as  calm,  his 
language  as  free  from  asperity,  and  his  whole  'manner  as 
thoroughly  composed  as  I had  ever  known  them. 

“While  perfectly  sensible  of  the  unprofessional  and  unmili- 
tary character  of  that  order,  and  keenly  alive  to  the  outrage 
and  insult  implied  in  it  to  himself  personally,  he  would  allow 
no  censure  to  be  visited  upon  those  who  had  issued  the  order. 


Story  or  Stonewall  Jackson.  399 

My  own  hasty  and  very  uncomplimentary  utterances  he 
checked,  saying,  ‘The  department  had  indeed  made  a serious 
mistake,  but,  no  doubt,  they  made  it  through  inadvertence 
and  with  the  best  intentions. 

“ ‘They  have  to  consider  the  interest  of  the  whole  Confeder- 
acy, and  no  man  should  be  allowed  to  stand  in  the  way  of  its 
safety.  If  they  have  not  confidence  in  my  ability  to  admin- 
ister wisely  the  affairs  of  this  district,  it  is  their  privilege  and 
duty  to  try  and  repair  the  damage  they  believe  I am  doing’. 
And  this  meek,  unselfish  spirit  prevailed  with  him  to  the  last. 

“There  is  no  day  in  all  my  acquaintance  with  him,  the  in- 
stances of  which,  in  all  their  details,  are  so  distinctly  impressed 
upon  my  memory,  as  that  last  day  iri  January,  when  he  seemed 
to  unburden  himself  of  the  cares  of  office,  and  spent  nearly  the 
whole  day  at  my  house,  and  no  small  part  of  it  in  my  com- 
pany. Laying  aside  his  accustomed  reticence,  he  spoke 
freely  of  almost  everything  connected  with  the  war,  the  whole 
country  and  the  church. 

“Events  of  interest  in  his  own  life  were  related,  and  scenes 
he  had  witnessed,  and  places  he  had  visited  during  his  tour  of 
Europe  were  discussed.  While  the  household  was  sore  dis- 
tressed, and  the  troops  in  a state  of  exasperation,  and  the 
whole  town  in  a ferment,  he  was  himself  perfectly  self-collected 
and  serene.  Not  only  did  he  seem  to  be  the  calmest  man  in 
town,  and  freest  from  excitement,  but,  so  far  as  I know,  he 
was  the  ojily  calm  and  unexcited  man  among  us. 

“There  was  no  severity  of  temper,  no  acrimony  of  lan- 
guage, no  suspicion  of  anger.  The  tender  of  his  resignation 
was  not  made  in  the  heat  of  passionate  resentment  to  satisfy 
personal  pique  for  an  affront  received,  but  in  the  loftiest 
spirit  of  self-sacrifice,  and  as  his  most  emphatic  protest 
against  a system  of  interference  with  the  responsibilities  of 
commanders  in  the  field. 

“And,  as  I recall,  after  a third  of  a century  almost,  the  spirit 
of  Jackson  on  that  memorable  day,  I am  more  and  more  in- 
clined to  say  that  the  real  grandeur  of  the  man  never  ap- 
peared to  greater  advantage  than  it  did  in  that  most  trying 
ordeal. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


:iOO 


“Not  at  Manassas,  where  he  and  his  brigade,  standing  like 
a stone  wall,  withstood  the  onset  of  the  triumphant  foe,  and 
wrested  victory  from  defeat;  not  in  the  “Valley  Campaign,” 
than  which  there  was  nothing  more  brilliant  in  the  Italian 


campaigns  of  the  first  Napoleon  ; not  in  the  Seven-days  before 
Richmond ; not  at  Cedar  Mountain  ; not  at  the  second  Ma- 
nassas; not  at  Harper’s  Ferry,  nor  Sharpsburg,  nor  Fredericks- 
burg ; not  even  at  Chancellorsville,  where  all  his  previous 
achievements  were  eclipsed  by  the  brilliancy  of  his  strategy 
and  the  force  of  his  blow. 

“Not  on  any  of  those  hard-fought  fields,  where  he  delivered 
battle  like  a thunderbolt,  and  achieved  such  splendid  victories 
over  his  enemies,  does  he  appear  to  me  so  truly  great  as  in  that 
quiet  home,  where,  under  a provocation  the  most  bitter,  he 
maintained  this  wonderful  mastery  over  himself,  for  ‘He  that 
is  slow  to  anger  is  better  than  the  mighty,  and  he  that  ruleth 
his  spirit  than  he  that  taketh  a city’.” 

Governor  Letcher  finally  prevailed  upon  Jackson  to  recon- 
sider his  resignation,  and  he  wrote  the  Governor  as  follows  ; 
“Winchester,  February  6,  1863.  His  Excellency,  John  Letcher, 
Governor  of  Virginia.  Governor  : Your  letter  of  the  4th 
inst.  was  received  this  morning.  If  my  retiring  from  the 
army  would  produce  that  effect  upon  the  country  which  you 
have  named  in  your  letter,  I of  course  would  not  desire  to 
leave  the  service ; and  if,  upon  the  receipt  of  this  note,  your 
opinion  remains  unchanged,  you  are  authorized  to  withdraw 
my  resignation,  unless  the  Secretary  of  War  desires  that  it 
should  be  accepted. 

“My  reasons  for  resigning  were  set  forth  in  my  letter  of  the 
31st  ultimo,  and  my  views  remain  unchanged;  and  if  the  Sec- 
retary persists  in  the  ruinous  policy  complained  of,  I feel  that 
no  officer  can  serve  his  country  better  than  by  making  his 
strongest  possible  protest  against  it,  which,  in  my  opinion,  is 
done  by  tendering  his  resignation,  rather  than  be  a wilful  in- 
strument in  prosecuting  a war  upon  a ruinous  principle.  I 
am  much  obliged  to  you  for  requesting  that  I be  ordered  to 
the  Institute.” 

Whether  or  not  the  horoscopes  in  the  fateful  as  well  as  fa- 


* 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  301 

mous  careers  of  Washington  and  Jackson  was  read  by  the 
mystic  dwellers  of  the  realms  of  which  we  know  nothing 
more  than  that  which  comes  to  us  in  the  form  of  “so  it  hap- 
pened,” we  have  no  Chaldean  here  to  tell  us.  Habakkuk 
complained  that  the  wicked  of  the  north  were  allowed  to  see 
things,  peer  into  the  future,  and  read  the  signs  beyond-  the 
bar-lines  that  shut  out  cycles  yet  to  be  lived,  and  that  the  Is- 
raelites of  the  south  were  not  possessed  of,  and  that  they  were 
denied  the  telescopic  glances  of  these  ungodly  Chaldeans. 

We  do  not  know  that  the  occult  powers  ascribed  to  the 
Orients  were  ever  brought  to  the  shores  of  America ; but  his- 
tory, at  best,  only  repeats  itself,  and  perhaps  the  experiences 
of  Washington  and  Jackson  at  Winchester,  Virginia,  reflects 
across  a round  century,  and  divulges  whatever  astrological  ken 
our  Northern  brothers  may  have  possessed  in  the  time  of 
Washington ; but  certain  it  is  that  they  then,  over  a hundred 
years  before,  inaugurated  the  habit  or  custom  of  complaining 
of  Southerners;  and  we  base  this  “grave  and  august  accusa- 
tion” upon  the  following  historic  language  of  the  immortal 
Washington,  who  was  a Southerner. 

In  a letter  to  Governor  Dinwiddle,  General  Washington  uses 
this  language:  “In  fine,  the  melancholy  situation  of  those 
people,  the  little  prospect  of  assistance,  the  gross  and  scanda- 
lous abuse  cast  upon  the  officers  in  general,  which  reflects  upon 
me  in  particular,  and  the  distant  prospect,  if  any,  of  gaining 
honor  and  reputation  in  this  service,  causes  me  to  lament  the 
hour  that  gave  me  a commission,  and  would  induce  me  at  any 
other  time  than  this  of  imminent  danger  to  resign,  without  one 
hesitating  moment,  a command  from  which  I never  expect  to 
reap  either  honor  or  benefit.” 

So  Washington,  through  the  manipulations  of  these  North- 
ern Chaldeans,  transmitted  to  Jackson  the  same  fate  ; when, 
in  the  course  of  human  events,  he  should  come  to  Winchester, 
the  same  place  from  which  Washington,  the  patient  patriot, 
sent  out  his  lament  over  a century  before — and  be  subject,  not 
to  the  lack  of  patriotism  in  his  troops,  of  which  Washington 
complained  as  existing  in  his  (for  Jackson’s  troops  were  all 
Southerners),  but  he,  Jackson,  had  to  contend  with  interfer- 


302  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

ence  from  Richmond.  So  did  Washington  from  the  same 
point.  He,  Jackson,  had  to  bear  censure,  severe  criticism  and 
comment  engendered  by  men,  for  purposes  that  frequently  act- 
uate jealous  and  thoughtless  people. 

Jackson,  like  Washington,  remained  -with  his  men  despite 
the  caviling  in  parts  of  his  country,  but  he  did  that  which 
Washington  did  not  do ; he  resigned,  and  by  so  doing  not 
only  exposed  the  weakness  of  those  who  were  interfering  with 
him,  but  set  an  example,  and  taught  a lesson  that  kept  the 
matchless  Lee  favorajjly  free  of  dictates  from  that  same  source, 
and  silenced  his  traducers  and  the  idle  croakers. 

The  country — the  American  Union — is  at  the  present  time 
witnessing  almost  daily,  criticism  upon  its  heroes  in  the  war 
with  Spain,  and  no  doubt  that  had  Joe  Wheeler  been  so  un- 
fortunate as  to  have  fought  the  battle  of  Santiago  at  Winches- 
ter, Virginia,  he  would  have  come  under  the  ban  of  the  fate 
of  Washington  and  Jackson.  But  the  Chaldeans  no  doubt 
will  see  to  it  that  poor  Admiral  Schley,  who  was  raised  within 
about  one  day’s  journey  of  Winchester,  Virginia,  will  line  up 
in  history  on  the  score  of  comment  and  ingratitude  that 
Washington  and  Jackson  experienced  at  that  fateful  point. 

It  must  not  be  understood,  however,  that  Winchester  is  in 
any  manner  responsible  for  the  coincidence,  as  its  citizens  have 
always  been  patriotic  ; but  owing  to  the  position  of  this  beau- 
tiful city  in  the  Virginia  Valley,  it  has  been  the  theatre  or 
strategic  point  in  two  great  wars,  and  the  coincidence  was 
uncontrollable — Washington’s  being  stationed  there  when  he 
was  in  command  and  heard  of  these  complaints  from  his  coun- 
trymen ; as  was  Jackson,  when  his  vigorous  methods  of  con- 
ducting war  caused  some  easy-going  people  to  murmur  audi- 
bly against  him,  and  both  rebelled  against  the  interferences 
and  comments. 

Upon  Jackson’s  receiving  further  assurances  from  the  Gov- 
ernment, that  it  did  not  intend  to  interfere  with  his  military 
plans.  Governor  Letcher  deemed  it  best  to  withdraw  his  res- 
ignation in  the  name  of  the  State  of  Virginia. 

Jackson  at  once  accepted  explanations  like  a true  soldier, 
and  while  he  never  was  treated  with  that  dignity  of  position 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson  303 

to  which  his  eminent  abilities  and  services  so  justly  entitled 
him,  and  though  he  was  never  given  an  independent  com- 
m.and,  his  invariable  successes  were  brilliant  in  executing  his 
plans,  and  his  memory  rises  above  the  injustice  done  him. 

Some  persons  insinuated  that  Jackson  took  exception  to  the 
actionof  the  Secretary  of  War  and  used  it  as  an  excuse  to  leave 
the  ai'my  and  get  back  home,  to  Lexington.  No  one  could 
have  blamed  him  had  he  done  so  ; war  itself  was  not  only  un- 
pleasant to  him,  as  his  correspondence  distinctly  shows — the  as- 
sertions of  others  to  the  contrary,  nevertheless — but  this  vain 
intimation  inspired  his  contempt.  The  suggestion,  however, 
that  he  used  any  pretext  to  obtain  relief,  is  preposterous. 

Had  he  been  a personified  Job  or  his  enthusiasm  unbounded 
as  the  zeal  of  an  Appollyon,  the  mysterious  unfriendliness  and 
subtle  slights  that  had  characterized  his  treatment  officially, 
would  have  compelled  him  to  acknowledge  his  relationship 
more  than  unpleasant,  and  excited  an  intense  desire  to  spare 
himself  an  unavailing  personal  discomfort. 

He  was  stronger  than  the  superior  authorities  that  were 
prone  to  make  a moiety  of  his  efforts  and  achievements,  but 
helpless  to  inaugurate  a preventive  for  the  catastrophes  cer- 
tain to  follow  the  course  of  these  authorities  ; and  in  his  des- 
peration and  despair,  he  established  a principle  in  warfare  that 
should  be  known  in  history  as  Jacksonian,  namely  : that  as  a 
war  secretary  cannot  asstime  the  responsibilities  of  the  field 
operations,  a war  secretary  must  not  -presume  to  direct  field 
operations. 

As  Jackson  at  Manassas  refused  to  surrender  to  force.  Jack- 
son  at  Winchester  refused  to  surrender  to  power;  and  as  his 
services  in  the  first  instance  were,  or  should  have  been  suffi- 
cient evidence  of  his  genius  for  war  to  win  positive  con- 
fidence ; his  services  in  the  second  instance  certainly  gave  evi- 
dence of  his  superior  ability  to  protect  the  rights  of  a soldier 
in  the  field,  for  all  time  to  come, 

Jackson  did  not  live  in  vain. 

In  the  remarks  of  Rev.  Dr.  Graham,  above  quoted,  it  will 
be  noticed  that  Jackson  talked  of  the  war,  the  condition 
of  the  country  as  a state-matter,  and  other  subjects  bearing 


304  Story  of  Stonewatl  Jackson. 

upon  the  conflict,  which  he  has  carefully  avoided  discussing 
even  to  so  near  and  confidential  a friend  as  his  host,  the  dis- 
tinguished pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Winchester. 
It  may  be  safely  assumed  that  he  would  not  have  indulged  in 
this  discussion,  but  for  the  fact  that  he  considered  his  con- 
nection with  the  army  at  an  end,  he  having  resigned. 

It  is  related  that  upon  an  occasion  during  the  residence  of 
General  and  Mrs.  Jackson  at  the  home  of  Dr.  Graham,  a lady 
visitor  asked  Jackson  the  direct  question,  at  the  breakfast 
table,  “What  is  the  news  this  morning.  General”  ? He  looked 
at  her  with  an  amused  expression,  and  after  a few  moments’ 

hesitation  replied  ; “Mrs.  , ask  me  no  questions. 

and  I will  tell  you  no  lies.^’  The  lady  did  not  wish  to  hear 
her  patron  soldier  prevaricate,  so  she  remained  in  blissful 
ignorance.  He  would  not  tell  his  wife  war  news,  that  is,  if  his 
command  was  concerned  or  plans  involved.  Mystery  and 
silence  were  secrets  of  his  success. 


lackson  ordering  I )riuniner- l!o  to  “ l)ea(  the  rally,”  battle  of  Kernstown 


DR. ’.HUNTER  McGUIRE.  ]ACKSON. 

Jackson’s  Chief  Medical  Director,  (From  a Portrait.) 


Near  Winchester,  B.  & O.  R.  R. 


Massanutten  Mountains,  N.&  W.  R.  R. — From  “Peaceful  Scenes.” 

(17) 


Kronl  Riijal,  \'a.  The  seine  of  inaiiv  thrillinsi:  experiences  iluring  (he  War  of  Invasion,  amonp;  them  notabi}' 
“ laekson’s  Vhillev  Canipaii;n.”  — From  “ 'J'he  Confederate  Soldier  in  tlie  Civil  War.” 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


JACKSON  AT  WINCHESTER A FEW  PERSONAL  AND  SOCIAL 

INCIDENTS — ^VIEWS  UPON  FORTIFICATIONS BATTLE 

OF  KERNSTOWN — RAPID  MARCHING. 

The  following  is  related  that  a glimpse  of  Jackson,  the  man, 
may  be  had.  He  had  not  seen  his  wife  since  he  parted  from 
her  that  Sabbath  morning  at  Lexington,  when  he  marched 
away  with  the  V.  M.  I.  Cadets.  He  had  written  his  wife 
that  as  he  expected  to  be  in  winter  quarters  at  or  near  Win- 
chester, she  could  come  on  and  be  with  him,  if  she  could  find 
a traveling  escort  from  her  home  in  North  Carolina. 

Mrs.  Jackson  writes  of  her  trip,  begun  alone,  which  was  a 
brave  undertaking  in  time  of  war.  Among  other  mishaps 
she  lost  her  trunk,  but  finally,  after  delays  and  more  or  less 
thrilling  experiences  of  war-time  travel,  she  landed  in  Win- 
chester, and  was  driven  to  the  hotel.  Her  arrival  was  at 
midnight.  No  one  whom  she  knew  was  at  the  hotel  to  meet 
her,  and  as  she  alighted  from  the  stage-coach  and  was  in  the 
act  of  ascending  the  stairway  leading  to  the  hotel  entrance,  to 
her  consternation,  she  felt  herself  suddenly  in  the  grasp  of  a 
pair  of  strong  arms — General  Jackson  had  only  a few  moments 
before  arrived  .in  front  of  the  hotel,  and  was  engaged  in 
earnest  conversation  with  some  of  his  staff-officers,  who,  like 
himself,  were  muffled  in  their  huge  military  overcoats,  the 
night  being  bitterly  cold.  He  had  not  discovered  his  wife 
until  some  one  called  his  attention  to  the  presence  of  a lady — 
when  he  darted  towards  her,  guessing  at  her  personality  in  the 
dark.  Like  a boy,  in  his  overpowering  joy,  he  forgot  the  pres- 
ence of  his  staff  and  the  grave  dignity  to  which  they  were 
accustomed,  and  held  his  frightened  wife  with  all  the  ardor 
of  his  nature.  Fora  moment  the  world-famed  Stonewall  Jack- 
son  was  lost  to  every  thought  of  grim  war. 

In  another  part  of  this  book  will  be  seen  a full  sketch  of  the 
winter  life  of  Jackson  at  Dr.  Graham’s  in  Winchester.  When 
his  campaign  was  over  in  the  mountains  he  started  back  to 
Winchester,  and  it  is  said  that  he  and  some  of  the  younger  mem- 


310  Story  of  Stonewai.l  Jackson. 

bers  of  his  staff  galloped  ahead  of  the  rest,  regardless  of  the 
slush,  mud  and  storm,  reaching  Winchester  more  than  a day 
in  advance  of  the  command. 

There  was  no  enemy  in  sight,  and  the  troops  came  along 
leisurely.  When  he  reached  Winchester,  after  his  forced  ride 
of  forty  miles  on  his  “Little  Sorrel”  in  a single  day,  he  de- 
cided not  to  go  to  his  home  headquarters,  Dr.  Graham’s,  as  he 
was  bespattered  with  mud  and  the  hour  late,  but  went  direct 
to  the  Taylor  Hotel,  a historic  hotel  yet  standing,  and  there 
had  the  mud  removed  from  his  clothing  and  boots.  His  wife 
was  not  expecting  him,  and  says  he  bounded  into  the  room 
(they  were  boarding  at  the  home  of  Dr.  Graham)  like  some 
light-hearted  school  boy.  He  had  been  away  in  the  bleak 
mountains  amid  ice  and  snow  and  on  the  war  path  for  some 
time,  and  she  relates  that  he  exclaimed  as  he  entered  their 
room,  “Oh,  this  is  the  essence  of  comfort!” 

Day  had  barely  dawned  when  he  left  this  cozy  home-room 
to  go  out  into  the  winter  cold,  to  order  plans  for  the  reception 
-of  his  troops.  He  devoted  his  time  to  making  the  necessary 
arrangements,  and  when  the  troops  came,  he  had  matters  ar- 
ranged. During  this  time  he  barely  took  time  for  eating  or 
sleep. 

If  Jackson  had  hoped  to  have  a few  days  of  rest  and  peace- 
ful home-life  with  his  wife  and  friends,  and  this  is  aot  likely — 
as  he  calculated  that  the  enemy  would  try  and  get  into  the 
valley — he  was  doomed  to  be  disappointed,  for  he  had  hardly 
gotten  his  troops  encamped  and  settled,  when  war  clouds  be- 
gan to  hover  over  Virginia,  in  the  section  he  occupied.  Re- 
moving Loring’s  troops  from  Romney  gave  the  Invaders  fresh 
assurance,  and  they  lost  no  time  in  preparing  to  follow  up  an 
“aggressive  ^arlare” — if  thiserm  can  be  applied  to  such  an 
invasion  of  a peaceful  country,  by  those  who  had  no  just  right 
to  enter  and  despoil  it  by  war. 

Many  expressed  surprise  at  Jackson’s  not  fortifying,  build- 
ing breastworks — embankments  of  logs,  rocks  and  dirt — 
“earth-works,”  as  such  fortifications  are  known  to  many,  to 
others,  “breast- works.”  Of  late,  these  protective  embank- 
ments are  generally  referred  to  as  rifle  pits. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


3” 


He  did  not  approve  of  building  these  fortifications  or,  as 
they  were  commonly  called  at  that  day,  breast- works.  He 
has  been  know  to  say  that  soldiers  were  not  intended  for  such 
work  or  duty.  “The  soldier’s  avocation  is  fighting  and  not 
that  of  laborers  and  ditchers.”  He  wrote  his  brother-in-law. 
General  Hill,  that  one  reason  for  not  building  breast-works 
was  that  his  position  could  be  turned  on  all  sides.  But  to 
those  who  watched  his  plans,  the  conclusion  is  unanimous, 
in  regard  to  his  reasons  for  not  entrenching.  He  preferred, 
like  Douglas,  to  “hear  the  lark  sing,  rather  than  the  rat 
squeak”.  In  other  words,  he  preferred  to  fight  in  open 
ground  where  his  men  could  feel  the  freedom  that  insured 
success  to  his  battles,  under  all  circumstances.  There  is  some 
doubt  as  to  Jackson’s  opinions  upon  this  subject  of  building 
breast-works  and  we  have  seen  letters  in  which  he  refers  to  his 
intention  to  throw  up  embankments  when  the  tools  arrived 
with  which  to  have  the  work  done,  but  whether  this  was  caused 
by  a voluntary  motion  of  his,  or  by  the  orders  from  superiors 
in  command,  w'e  do  not  know  ; it  is  our  impression  that  he 
did  not,  of  his  own  suggestion,  intend  to  embank  while  at 
Winchester  or  at  any  other  time  in  his  campaigns.  His  course 
directly  leads  to  such  a conclusion.  Usually,  Jackson  did  not 
waste  time  indulging  tactics  of  defensive  battle ; he  wag 
agressive,  and  struck  the  enemy  in  overwhelming  surprise  and 
routed  them. 

This  book  is  not  designed  as  a military  history  of  Jackson^ 
or  a history  of  his  campaign  or  of  the  war  ; it  is  written,  as  far 
as  possible,  to  give  a popular,  narrative  story  of  the  life  of  this 
wonderful  man  ; therefore,  at  best,  only  mere  sketches  can  be 
given  of  battles  or  campaigns,  and  though  there  may  be  blun- 
ders, even  in  this  effort  in  giving  outlines,  yet  care  has  been 
taken  to  avoid  all  extravagances. 

We  are  but  introducing  this  marvelous  soldier  up  to  this 
point;  soon  he  is  to  enter  upon  a campaign,  “The  Valley 
Campaign,”  more  generally  known  as  Jackson’s  Valley  Cam- 
paign. The  most  eminent  military  writers  since  the  time  of 
Napier,  have  compared  this  campaign  to  the  greatest  cam- 
paigns of  all  ages,  and  the  universal  verdict  gives  to  the  Val- 


312 


Story  of 'Stonewall  Jackson. 


ley  Campaign  of  Jackson  and  his  noble  troops,  the  palm  over 
all  of  which  history  gives  any  account,  all  bearings  con- 
sidered. 

Generals  Fremont  and  Banks  of  the  Invader  army,  were 
with  iSIcDowell.  another  Invader  generjil,  to  swoop  down  on 
Jackson  and  his  few  thousand  and  crush  hiin,  then  with 
McClellan’s  hosts  on  one  side,  and  this  vast  deluge  of  men  un- 
der the  above  named  generals  on  the  other,  or  west,  to  flood 
Richmond  and  sweep  it  from  the  face  of  the  earth!  It  is  es- 
timated that  these  joint  forces  amounted  to  nearly  a quarter  ot 
a million  of  men. 

The  commands  of  Johnston,  which  included  Jackson’s,  had 
not  been  increased,  but  Beauregard  had  been  sent  to  the  West 
to  join  General  Albert  S.  Johnston,  and  this  left  Lee  to  sur- 
round Richmond  with  his  thin  command,  as  best  he  could. 
But  all  this  vast  array  of  Invaders,  and  the  mighty  prepara- 
tions did  not  alarm  the  Defenders.  No  man  feared. 

Listen  to  the  brave  words  of  Jackson;  “What  I desire  is  to 
hold  the  country  as  far  as  practicable,  until  we  are  in  a condi- 
tion to  advance;  and  then,  with  God’s  blessing,  let  us  make 
thorough  work  of  it.  Thus  you  see  two  generals,  whose 
united  force  is  nearly  forty-six  thousand  troops  already  or- 
ganized for  three  years  war,  opposed  to  our  little  force 
here;  but  I do  not  feel  discouraged.  I have  only  to  say  this^ 
that  if  the  Valley  is  lost,  Virginia  is  lost.” 

He  wrote  the  above  letter,  of  which  we  give  only  a part, 
to  a member  of  the  Confederate  Congress. 

There  was  at  this  moment  though,  a deep  sorrow  in  the 
heart  of  this  great  and  good  man.  He  saw  the  tremendous- 
preparations  going  on  at  the  North.  This  meant  desperation 
and  determination  there.  He  realized  that  a heavy  campaign 
was  ahead  of  him  and  his  brave  but  poorly  equipped  men. 
He  had  longed  to  get  away  Lorn  war’s  horrors  and  terrors 
that  only  added  to  his  grief,  the  thought  of  separation  from 
her,  whom  he  loved  above  all  things  on  this  earth,  his  wife. 
The  thought  of  again  sending  her  to  the  far  South,  and  the 
anguish  this  forced  separation  would  entail  upon  her,  gave 
him  much  unhappiness;  but,  he  knew  too,  that  among  his 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  313 

men,  and  all  over  the  South,  his  brother  soldiers  were  suffering 
the  self-same  pangs  of  grief — separation  from  their  loved  ones — 
and  he  comforted  himself  in  the  thought  that  all  were  bound 
in  one  sacred  vow — to  honor  these  loved  ones  with  their  life’s 
blood  if  needs  be. 

But  there  were  other  griefs  that  bore  down  upon  the  heart 
of  Jackson,  the  suffering  of  his  men,  their  sickness,  their 
mortality  (more  men  die  of  disease  in  camps,  than  die  on  the 
battle-  field) . A number  of  the  men  in  his  command  were 
from  the  South,  far  distant,  and  unaccustomed  to  the  rigors  of  a 
Northern  Virginia  winter,  and  their  physical  sufferings  were 
apparent,  though  they  did  not  murmur. 

Accounts  are  given  of  the  solicitude  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Winchester  upon  the  matter  of  the  soldiers  leaving,  and  many 
were  the  efforts  made  to  try  and  get  some  hint  from  Jackson 
or  Mrs.  Jackson,  as  to  when  or  where  the  soldiers  were 
going.  Mrs.  Jackson  did  not  know,  and  her  husband 
never  told  any  one  anything  about  his  war  movements. 
The  young  soldiers  had  formed  many  fond  friendships  in 
the  neigborhood,  and  sweethearts — that  “girl  I left  behind 
me” — were  hanging  on  every  word  their  dear  soldier 
lovers  would  tell  them  of  the  future ; but  alas,  the  end 
must  come,  and  soldier  boys  must  show  their  sweet- 
hearts how  to  part.  Some  made  a very  poor  attempt  at 
cheering  these  young  ladies,  and  their  comrades  aver  that  some 
of  the  boys  who  were  badly  smitten,  nearly  deserted;  but  this 
is  all  a part  of  war.  These  young  men  were  of  excellent 
families  principally,  and  they  had  not,  up  to  this  time  expe- 
rienced enough  war  to  wear  away  the  softer  inclinations.  We 
have  been  told  that  up  to  the  time  that  Jackson  moved  his 
wife,  the  people  hoped  that  there  would  not  be  a movement  of 
the  troops,  but  when  they  saw  Mrs.  Jackson  leaving,  and  a 
train  of  sick  soldiers  being  sent  to  the  rear,  they  realized  that 
Jackson  had  some  serious  kind  of  work  ahead. 

The  cup  of  Jackson’s  sorrow  was  indeed  full  on  that  event- 
ful morning.  His  wife  was  to  leave  for  her  home  in  North 
Carolina.  (This  was  the  last  time  he  saw  her  until  a few  days 
before  he  died ; he  never  took  a leave  or  furlough  during  his 


314  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

entire  war  experience).  Then,  too,  some  of  his  faithful  men 
were  being  taken  away  on  one  of  those  melancholy  journeys  a 
train  of  sick  soldiers  suggests.  The  sick  of  an  army  appeal  to 
all  alike,  their  officers  and  brother  soldiers,  the  patient  and 
devoted  women  who  nurse  them,  and  the  physician  who  knows 
so  well  that  the  loved  ones  at  home  will  never  again  see  these 
sick  and  suffering  brothers,  fathers,  sweethearts  and  friends. 
In  the  hospital,  often  improvised  and  hurriedly  arranged,  a 
church,  hall,  warehouse,  orsome  building  in  no  way  resembling 
what  we  are  accustomed  to  associate  with  the  idea  of  a hos- 
pital or  sanitarium,  men  were  placed  on  such  cots  as  could  be 
obtained  or  constructed.  They  were  often  crowded  with  the 
unfortunate  sick  and  wounded.  But  the  ill  preparations  were 
offset  by  the  unfaltering  and  untiring  devotion  and  attention 
of  the  “sacred  messengers  of  peace  and  consolation;”  those 
ladies  and  even  little  girls,  who  would  leave  home  to  admin- 
ister to  the  poor  victims  of  war’s  cruel  fortunes.  A soldier 
who  could  get  into  a private  home  was  the  envied  one  and 
most  lucky.  He  escaped  the  groans  and  torments  of  his  com- 
rades in  the  hospitals. 

Mrs.  Jackson  relates  her  experience  on  the  train  upou 
which  she  left  Winchester,  and  as  stated  it  was  well  loaded 
with  sick  soldiers.  Her  sympathies  were  aroused,  and  she  felt 
keenly  the  ills  of  the  men  of  whom  she  had  so  often  read  and 
heard  her  husband  speak  with  such  glowing  pride.  In  the 
car  with  her  were  several  passengers,  and  among  them,  an 
officer  and  his  wife.  They  began  to  discuss  the  different 
leaders.  They  spoke  of  Lee,  Johnston,  and  others.  Then 
she  heard  the  wife  sa)%  “And  what  do  you  think  of  ‘Old 
.Stonewall’”.?  The  officer  replied,  “I  have  the  most  im- 
plicit confidence  in  him.  Since  I know  the  man  and  have 
witnessed  his  abilities  and  patriotic  devotion,  I 'would  follow 
him  any'where.’’'  Airs.  Jackson  says  these  w’ords  were  like 
sunshine  to  her  lonely  heart. 

In  the  early  part  of  Alarch,  General  Banks  of  the  Invader 
army,  made  his  start  after  a few  skirmishes,  mainly  with 
Ashby’s  cavalry ; he  would  not  fight  Jackson  in  open  battle, 
but  played  his  tremendous  forces  well.  He  tried  to  get  Jackson 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson  315 

to  come  out  and  pit  his  four  thousand  against  his  (Banks’s) 
forty  thousand  ; but  in  this  he  sadly  underestimated  the  “wary 
young  Napoleon  of  the  West.”  Jackson  would  not  be  led 
into  a trap.  In  fact  he  would  not  fight  an  enemy  on  the 
enemy’s  plans  and  terms. 

He  left  AVinchester.  and  went  down  the  Valley  turnpike 
(road).  His  four  thousand  men  could  not  be  expected  to  fight 
Banks’s  forty  thousand  on  any  other  terms  than  those  Jackson 
might  find  advisable,  and  as  Banks  would  not  give  battle  to 
him  on  his  (Jackson’s  terms),  Jackson  went  off  to  await  his 
chances  to  catch  Banks  where  he  could  handle  him. 

Before  leaving  Winchester,  a scene  occurred  at  the  home  of 
his  host.  Dr.  Graham,  which  demonstrates  the  true  and  firm 
spirit  and  will  of  Jackson.  He  had  just  heard  of  the  approach 
of  Banks,  and  his  battle  rage  was  mounting  to  its  highest  and 
supremest  sublimity.  He  was  booted  arid  spurred,  uniformed 
and  armed — “the  personification  of  a commander  plumed  for 
the  fray”  ! His  face  was  radiant  with  patriotism,  and  the 
genius  of  battle  shone  from  every  movement  he  made.  He 
loved  the  people  of  Winchester  and  craved  to  serve  them. 
Dr.  Graham,  in  relating  the  incident,  says  : “Jackson  re- 
mained for  tea  and  was  unusually  bouyant.”  Just  after  even- 
ing prayer,  in  which  Jackson,  as  was  his  invariable  rule,  took 
part,  he  left,  and  all  was  expectancy  there,  at  the  peaceful 
home. 

He  went  to  the  council  of  war,  which  he  had  left  to  come 
to  his  friend’s  for  his  evening  meal.  On  arriving  at  the  place 
where  the  council  was  to  be  concluded,  he  was  shocked  to  find 
that  his  bold  plan  to  attack  Banks  that  night  and  surprise 
him,  instead  of  allowing  him  to  prepare  to  strike  him.  Jack- 
son,  was  not  agreed  to. 

He  left  and  said  afterwards  that  he  never  before  had 
called  a council  of  war  and  would  never  again  call  one.'' 
This  vow  he  kept  rigidly,  and  never  called  another  council. 

On  returning  to  Dr.  Graham’s,  he  found  the  Doctor 
away  from  his  home  and  sent  a courier  requesting  him  to 
come  to  his  office  at  once.  This  request  the  Doctor  complied 
with  promptly,  and  he  says  in  his  account  of  the  event,  that 


3i6  Story  of  Stonewai.l  Jackson. 

he  found  Jackson  walking  up  and  down  the  floor.  great 

change  had  come  over  him,”  says  the  Doctor.  “He  looked  as 
if  his  spirit  was  burdened  with  an  overbearing  weight  of  sad- 
ness, and  his  face  showed  deep  dejection.  At  first  he  did  not 
seem  to  know  what  to  say;  but  finally  collecting  himself,  he  re- 
marked that  he  did  not  mean  to  deceive  us  when  he  called  ear- 
ly in  the  evening,  but  that  since  he  had  been  at  the  house,  he 
had  attended  the  council  of  war,  and  his  officers  were  opposed 
to  the  attack  that  night,  and  consequently  he  would  have  to 
leave  Winchester,  as  by  to-morrow  the  enemy  would  have 
heavy  reinforcements. 

“Again  he  paced  the  floor  in  bitter  indecision,  and  pausing, 
grasped  the  hilt  of  his  sword  as  if  he  would  crush  it,  and  his 
face  fairly  blazing  with  the  fire  that  was  burning  in  his  soul, 
he  said : ‘I  may  execute  my  purpose  still,  I have  ordered 
my  officers  to  return  at  half-past  nine.’  His  appearance  as 
he  stood  there  and  uttered  these  words,  I can  never  forget.  I 
was  completely' awed  by  him.” 

But  the  hopelessness  of  his  officers  again  possessed  him,  and 
with  an  air  of  grief  he  returned  with  the  Doctor  to  his  house 
to  take  leave  of  the  family.  He  regained  some  of  his  com- 
posure before  reaching  there,  and  expressed  the  hope  that  a 
good  Providence  would  permit  him  soon  to  return  and  bring 
deliverance  to  the  town  he  loved,  which  had  been  so  faithful 
to  his  soldiers  and  the  cause  of  their  country. 

Dr.  McGuire,  his  chief  surgeon,  writes  that  he  rode  with 
Jackson  as  they  left  Winchester,  and  says  ; “As  we  reached  a 
high  point  overlooking  the  town,  we  both  turned  to  look  at 
Winchester,  just  evacuated  and  now  left  to  the  mercy  of  the 
Federal  soldiers.  I think  that  a man  may  sometimes  yield  to 
overwhelming  emotions,  and  I was  utterly  overcome  by  the 
fact  that  I was  leaving  all  that  I held  dear  on  earth,  but  my 
emotion  was  arrested  by  one  look  at  Jackson. 

“His  face  was  fairly  blazing  with  the  fire  that  was  in  him, 
and  I felt  awed  before  him.  Presently  he  cried  out  with  a 
manner  almost  savage,  ‘That  is  the  last  council  of  war  I will 
ever  hold.’  And  it  was  his  first  and  last.  Thereafter  he  held 
council  in  the  secret  chambers  of  his  own  heart, and  acted.  In- 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  317 

stantaneous  decision,  absolute  self-reliance,  were  displayed 
bv  every  action,  every  word.  His  voice  displayed  it  in  battle. 
It  was  not  the  peal  of  the  trumpet,  but  the  sharp  crack  of  the 
rifle — sudden,  imperative,  resolute.” 

Jackson  before  leaving  Winchester,  took  personal  account 
of  all  the  preparations.  He  had  his  quartermasters  gather  up 
the  old  telegraph  wire  used  in  his  telegraph  line  from  Win- 
chester to  Romney ; this  material  while  not  at  the  moment 
valuable,  might  be  used  by  the  enemy.  It  is  related  that 
he  ordered  a large  number  of  horses  hitched  to  a locomo- 
tive, and  hauled  it  away  along  the  rock  turnpike.  Nothing  was 
left  belonging  to  his  army,  and  he  retired  doggedly.  Ashby 
kept  the  enemy  in  check  and  gradually  retired. 

The  scenes  and  alarming  excitement  that  followed  the  de- 
parture of  the  Southern  soldiers  from  Winchester,  may  be  im- 
agined by  picturing  to  oneself  being  left  in  an  exposed 
town  to  the  fate  of  war — an  army  of  Invaders  approaching. 
They  had  little  to  hope  for  from  these  armed  hosts,  engaged 
in  a plan  of  war  not  easily  mistaken. 

fackson ’s  army  went  out  of  Winchester  on  January  13,  as 
sad  and  distressed  a body  of  gallant  men  as  ever  left  a position 
to  an  enemy  ; but  there  was  no  recourse,  no  alternative.  To  at- 
tempt to  strike  the  vast  array  sent  against  them,  would  have 
been  suicidal,  unless  by  such  a plan  as  Jackson  had — fighting 
under  a night’s  surprise  and  capturing  the  enemy.  Many  of 
Jackson’s  men  had  relatives  living  in  Winchester  and  near, 
and  all  through  the  valley,  and  they  felt  that  the  interference 
with  Jackson  had  brought  about  this  catastrophe ; and  having 
never  before  seen  the  enemy  in  their  midst,  and  being  forced 
to  leave  their  families  to  the  mercy  of  them,  was  harder  than 
fighting  and  more  severe  than  the  vicissitudes  of  war  had,  up 
to  that  time,  impressed  them  as  possible. 

Sweet,  therefore,  was  the  genuine  revenge  of  these  distressed 
men  when  Jackson  flashed  back  upon  their  boasting  enemy 
and  routed  them  with  frightful  punishment,  and  drove  them 
from  the  State.  This  was  a personal  experience  with  many 
of  the  men  in  Jackson’s  command,  and  they  fought  for  the 
home  in  sight ; but  their  brothers  from  the  sister  States,  far 


3i8  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson, 

from  any  view  of  their  homes,  fought  in  sympathy  and  no  less 
determinedly.  The  cause  was  common  to  all. 

Fortunate  for  the  “shallow  depths  of  gray,”  Lincoln  made 
a mistake,  that  is,  the  administration  of  war  at  Washington; 
and,  by  ordering  Banks  to  go  to  Manassas  and  entrench  near 
there,  the  evacuation  of  Jackson’s  men  from  Winchester  and 
the  neighborhood  was  not  followed  up  by  the  mass  of  Banks’s 
army.  He  had  three  chances  to  fight  Jackson,  but  it  appears 
he  declined  each  offer  or  chance,  and  his  government  moved 
him  to  other  fields  of  operations.  General  Shields  of  the  In- 
vader army  was  left  at  Winchester,  which  is  about  twenty 
miles  from  Strasburg,  where  Jackson  spent  the  first  night 
after  leaving  Winchester.  Continuing  his  march  down  the 
Valley,  he  (Jackson)  reached  Mount  Jackson,  and  here  he  re- 
ceived word  from  Johnston  to  keep  the  enemy  in  the  Valley, 
as  Banks  was  crossing  the  Blue  Ridge  mountain  to  join  Mc- 
Clellan and  consolidate  against  him,  Johnston. 

This  was  all  Jackson  needed — some  excuse  to  keep  within 
the  scope  of  plans  of  his  ranking  officers  and  the  Richmond 
government,  and  yet  execute  some  of  his  own  plans  or  hopes. 
Acting  immediately,  he  ordered  his  men  to  turn  their  faces  to- 
ward Winchester.  Glad  news  for  his  brave  band  ! and  it  is  told 
that  his  men  shouted  with  joy  at  the  thought  of  again  return- 
ing and  giving  battle  to  the  men  who  had  invaded  their  very 
homes  and  country.  The  first  day  twenty  miles  were  covered 
by  the  men ; the  nex:t  day  they  were  marching  before  sunrise, 
in  fact  daylight  had  not  dawned  when  the  march  was  begun. 
Jackson  pressed  on  to  within  five  miles  of  Winchester,  when 
Ashby’s  cavalry  came  down  the  road,  showing  by  this  move 
that  the  enemy  was  near  and  outnumbered  Ashby.  Jackson 
was  in  poor  trim  to  offer  or  accept  battle,  as  he  had  not  ex- 
pected this  when  he  left  Winchester  or  while  down  the  Val- 
ley, and  as  so  many  of  his  men  lived  near  the  points  passed  by 
Jackson  in  his  march  down  the  Valley,  they  were  given  fur- 
loughs to  go  home ; besides  this,  many  were  sick. 

In  the  skies  on  that  Sabbath  day  hung  the  spring  sun  just 
above  the  last  hill  of  the  historic  Blue  Ridge.  The  little  army, 
foot-sore,  half  starved  but  determined,  stood  like . a corps  of 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson  319 

grim  veterans,  waiting  the  bugle  that  would  hurl  them  by  its 
blasts  into  the  Kernstown  battle. 

General  Shields,  commanding  the  Invader  army,  had  reached 
a position  and  placed  his  men  behind  the  stone  fences  and 
in  unexposed  places ; this  act  illustrates  the  force  of  the  Jack- 
son  theory — never  let  an  enemy  have  time  to  prepare.  Af- 
ter considerable  difficulty,  Jackson  got  into  such  position  as 
was  possible,  and  the  battle  opened.  Cannon  and  rifle  made 
the  air  a din  of  angry  roar  and  stinging  hums.  The  relative 
numbers  engaged  were  about,  in  the  matter  of  odds,  three  to 
four  against  Jackson’s  one. 

One  of  Jackson’s  officers,  without  his  (Jackson’s)  knowing 
it,  ordered  his  troops  to  retire,  instead  of  charging  with  bayo- 
net. When  Jackson  discovered  his  old  brigade  (this  officer  was 
in  command  of  Jackson’s  old  brigade)  leaving  the  field,  he 
rushed  to  the  midst  of  the  fight,  and  seeing  a little  drummer 
boy  with  his  drum,  ordered  him  to  “beat  the  rally.” 

The  boy,  brave  little  soldier  that  he  was,  made  the  drum 
rattle  out  the  sounds  of  the  “rally,”  which  meant  to  stand  by 
the  guns  and  not  leave  the  field.  We  would  prize  a picture 
of  this  scene  executed  on  canvas,  for  the  sake  of  the  Ameri- 
can boy.  It  is  a rare,  grand  and  thrilling  scene  ; and  some  art- 
ist should  go  to  this  field  with  men  who  fought  that  day  with 
Jackson,  and  catching  the  inspiration,  produce  a canvas 
worthy  of  the  man,  the  boy  and  the  hour.  He  was  a child- 
soldier  and  he  stood  there  in  the  presence  of  his  furious 
general,  the  mighty  Jackson,  beating  with  his  little  hands  the 
deadly  rally  in  time  of  battle,  while  bullets  and  shells  were 
thick  in  the  air  and  all  about  him,  and  men  were  groaning, 
cheering,  dying,  fighting. 

If  that  boy  is  alive  to-day,  he  is  an  old  man ; but  his  heart 
must  swell  with  pride  to  know  that  he  once  had  the  honor  to 
obey  a direct  order  on  the  battle-field,  and  from  Stonewall 
Jackson!  And  such  an  order!  “Beat  the  Rally.” 

But  Jackson  had  arrived  too  late  ; the  enemy  were  keeping 
up  a constant  fire  from  fresh  regiments,  which  they  had  in  re- 
serve. Some  of  Jackson’s  men  stood  and  held  the  enemy  in 
check  though  they  had  shot  their  last  cartridge.  One  of  the 


320 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


regiments  that  went  into  the  battle  had  less  than  three  hun- 
dren  men  on  entering,  and  the  regiment  was  therefore  nearly 
dismembered  when  the  battle  was  over. 

It  is  but  just  to  the  officer  who  has  been  referred  to  as  giv- 
ing the  order  to  Jackson’s  old  brigade  to  retire,  and  at  the 
mere  thought  of  which  Jackson  nearly  lost  all  control  of  him- 
self, to  say  that  he  did  not  give  the  order  until  the  men  had 
shot  away  all  their  animunitio7i ! He  saw  that  death  to  all 
would  result  if  he  kept  the  grand  brigade  on  the  field.  But 
Jackson  never  took  counsel  of  anything  like  his  fears. 

Jackson  lost  about  one-fourth  of  his  command,  killed, 
wounded  and  captured,  while  the  enemy’s  loss  is  reported  to 
be  about  one-third  as  many  men  as  Jackson  had  in  his  entire 
army.  The  enemy  took  about  three  hundred  prisoners,  and 
as  these  men  passed  through  Winchester,  the  entire  city  turned 
out  to  escort  them  to  the  train.  While  the  act  was  one  of  de- 
fiance, yet  there  was  mingled  with  the  scene  many  sad  inci- 
dents. But  the  horrors  of  war  yet  awaited  these  distressed 
people.  The  battle-field  was  only  three  miles  from  Winches- 
ter and  many  went  there  to  aid  in  burying  the  dead.  In  this 
funeral  assemblage,  there  were  old  men  and  women  and  little 
children  working  with  heart-breaking  care  in  tbis  never  to  be 
forgotten  battle-field.  A long  trench  was  dug  and  the  dead 
soldiers  were  placed  in  it. 

These  noble  sons  of  the  South  now  rest  in  the  cemetery  at 
W inchester.  A handsome  iron  fence  encloses  this  beautiful 
spot,  a gift  from  Mr.  Charles  Broadway  Rouse,  a generous 
native  of  Winchester,  who  has  since  the  war  made  a fortune, 
of  which  he  has  given  most  liberally  to  the  needs  of  his  peo- 
ple and  various  movements  connected  with  his  life  and  love  in 
the  days  of  the  sixties ; among  them,  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars  to  the  Battle  Abbey  at  Richmond.  A handsome 
monument  erected  in  the  cemetery  referred  to — the  Stonewall 
Cemetery  at  Winchester — commemorates  this  battle  and  marks 
the  last  place  of  rest  on  earth  of  the  brave  Southern  men  who 
lost  their  lives  in  the  battles  in  and  about  Winchester;  and  the 
monument  was  built  by  the  joint  subscriptions  of  the  Southern 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  321 

States.  Many  of  the  States  have  erected  State  monuments  in 
the  cemetery. 

That  night  Jackson’s  men,  who  had  that  day  stood  in  the 
leaden  rain  of  battle  and  won  fame  in  their  overwhelming 
struggle  with  a foe  out-numbering  them  three  or  four  to  one, 
rested  as  best  they  could  along  the  road,  in  fence  corners  or 
in  the  fields  ; they  had  no  tents,  not  even  the  stretchers  on 
poles  that  served  as  a shelter — simply  the  open  bivouac  under 
the  stars.  Soldiers  do  not  sleep  in  tents  when  fighting  is  to  be 
done.  They  are  with  their  guns.  A soldier’s  gun  never 
leaves  his  hand  in  time  of  battle  or  when  battles  are  expected. 
They  sleep  on  their  guns  and  anywhere  they  can  find  a place 
to  lie  down.  War  is  hard  at  best,  but  when  there  is  active 
campaigns  on  hand,  war  is  a little  less  than  fighting  forest  fires 
day  and  night,  and  any  one  who  has  experienced  fire-fighting 
can  realize  what  the  exertion  and  confusion  is. 

Dr.  McGuire  says  that  when  Jackson  gave  the  orders  to 
move  down  the  pike,  the  Valley  road,  that  he  was  told  by  the 
surgeons:  “This  requires  time;  can  you  stay  to  protect  us?” 
Jackson  replied:  “Make  yourself  easy  about  that;  this  army 
stays  here  until  every  wounded  man  is  retnoved!'’’ — Jackson 
never  left  a sick  or  wounded  man  on  the  march  or  field  un- 
cared for — then  with  deep  feeling  said  : '■'‘Before  I will  leave 
them  to  the  enemy  I will  lose  many  more  men!'"  There  was 
not  a trace  of  brutal  warfare  in  his  campaigns  or  plans,  or  can 
an  act  of  savagery  or  brutality  be  traced  to  a single  act  or  deed 
of  Jackson.  Humane,  civilized  warfare  marked  every  move- 
ment. Sometimes  in  reviewing  the  career  of  this  marvelous 
man,  it  is  almost  impossible  to  escape  the  impression  many 
have,  namely,  that  Jackson  was  under  a special  Providence. 
This  act,  refusing  to  leave  the  sick  and  wounded,  astounded 
the  enemy  and  held  them  completely  in  check.  They  plainly 
thought  he  had  received  re-inforcements  and  they  declined  to 
attack  him.  The  incident  has  been  compared  to  an  act  of 
Bruce,  who,  by  stopping  his  army  to  protect  a poor  woman, 
won  a victory  over  his  enemy.  All  these  seeming  accidents 
prove  that  victory  is  not  only  for  the  strong,  but  rather  for  the 
brave. 


Story  of  Stone walf  Jackson. 


3-2 


A touching  incident  is  told  of  Jackson  as  occurring  on 
the  night  of  the  battle  of  Kernstown.  He  was  .very  hungry; 
had  eaten  nothing  that  entire  day  except  a snack,  which  he  had 
snatched  and  munched  while  holding  it  in  his  hands,  as  he 
moved  along.  He  had  himself  led  that  day  five  distinct 
charges!  These  charges  were  led  against  men  shooting  at  his 
men  from  behind  stone  fences,  walls,  or  in  the  copse  of 
woods,  and  therefore  protected.  He  had  been  in  the  saddle 
since  daylight  and  at  all  times  among  his  men,  cheering 
them  and  encouraging  them.  His  horse,  “old  Sorrel,”  had 
not  been  from  under  the  saddle  for  nearly  twenty-four  hours. 

Jackson  came  up  where  Major  Hawks,  the  commissary  of- 
ficer, had  made  a fire  which  was  blazing  brightly.  The  night 
was  cool.  Major  Hawks  gathered  some  rails,  and  Jackson 
wanted  to  know  what  he  was  doing.  The  major  replied,  “I 
am  fixing  a place  to  sleep.”  Jackson,  who  had  nowhere  to 
sleep,  and  as  it  was  his  custom  to  share  the  fate  of  his  men, 
at  all  times,  he  remarked  : “You  seem  determined  to  make 
yourself  and  those  around  you  comfortable.”  The  major  went 
to  some  soldiers  and  told  them  Jackson  had  nothing  to  eat. 
They  shared  their  food  with  their  beloved  general,  and  soon 
he  was  fast  asleep  beside  his  faithful  commissar}^  officer,  on 
the  rails. 

This  battle  of  Kernstown,  has  been  pronounced  a victory 
by  those  most  competent  to  pronounce  judgment.  Jackson 
never  yielded,  the  point  that  it  was  a defeat  in  any  sense, 
other  than  being  repulsed.  He  claimed  that  results  were  of 
greatest  importance  to  the  South. 

Certain  of  one  result;  it  sent  to  Washington  the  wildest 
alarm,  and  Lincoln  recalled  the  troops,  or  a great  portion  of 
those  whom  he  had  sent  under  General  Banks  and  others  to 
attack  Johnston,  although  General  McClellan  had  left  his 
president  over  forty  thousand  troops  in  Washington  “to  defend 
the  Capital."  This  change  of  front  relieved  Johnston, 
because  of  the  Invaders  withdrawing. 

The  Congress  of  the  Confederacy  considered  the  Kernstown 
battle  a victory,  as  they  passed  the  following  resolutions : 
“Resolved  by  the  Congress  of  the  Confederate  States  that  the 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  323 

thanks  of  Congress  are  due,  and  hereby  tendered,  to  Alajor- 
General  T.  J.  Jackson  and  the  officers  and  men  under  his 
commands,  for  gallant  and  meritorious  services  in  a successful 
engagement  with  a greatly  superior  force  near  Kernstown  on 
the  23d  of  March,  1862.  Second;  Resolved,  that  these  res- 
olutions be  communicated  to  Major-General  Jackson,  and  by 
him  to  his  command.” 

General  Johnston  also  issued  a very  complimentary  order, 
and  Jackson’s  men  felt  and  knew  they  had  won  a victory. 

Jackson  said  that  if  he  could  have  had  ten  minutes  longer — 
this  means,  had  the  ammunition  held  out  ten  minutes  lon- 
ger— he  would  have  driven  the  enemy  from  the  field.  Taking 
this  in  connection  with  Jackson’s  always  having  won  in  bat- 
tle, together  with  the  words  of  the  official  report  of  the  gen- 
eral in  command  of  the  enemy,  '‘Such  was  their  gallantry  and 
high  state  of  discipline,  that  at  no  time  during  the  battle  or 
pursuit  did  they  give  way  to  panic,”  defeat  does  not  seem 
to  be  the  word  for  the  results  of  this  battle  for  either  side, 

Kernstown  is  one  of  the  great  events  of  the  war,  and  for 
the  only  time  in  the  experience  of  Jackson,  he  was  forced  by 
unavoidable  circumstances  to  fight  on  ground  and  terms  not 
of  his  choosing  and  at  a time  when  he  was  not  even  in  pos- 
session of  the  small  command  given  him,  as  many  were  sick 
or  away  on  leave  of  absence. 

fackson  did  not  lose  the  battle  ! He  did  not  give  the  order 
to  retire.  He  was  misinformed  by  the  reports  of  the  cavalry, 
they  reported  a much  smaller  number  of  the  enemy  than  he 
was  forced,  by  the  accident  or  misinformation,  to  face  and 
fight.  Had  he  fought  on  Monday  instead  of  Sunday,  the  en- 
emy, having  seen  his  force,  would  have  even  redoubled  theirs, 
and  captured  his  entire  army. 

It  is  said  by  men  present  and  in  the  battle  that  the  Invaders’ 
regiments  seemed  to  spring  up  out  of  the  ground,  and  as  fast 
as  one  was  cut  down  another  would  appear,  and  they  fought 
desperately.  Jackson  had  less  thad  3,000  men.  The  enemy 
in  their  report  stated  he  had  12,000.  The  enemy  had  at  best 
accounts  11,000;  and  in  the  battle  itself  8,000. 

For  about  a month,  Jackson  and  his  men  had  a chance  to 


324  Story  of  Stonewall  JacksOxN. 

rest,  and  during  this  time,  the  army  grew  in  size  rapidly.  He 
writes  his  wife  that  he  hopes  the  army  will  become  an  army 
of  Christian  soldiers ; and  he  never  failed  to  praise  his^ 
Heavenly  Father  for  shielding  him  in  battle,  and  giving  suc- 
cess to  the  cause  of  the  South. 

On  the  nth  of  April,  he  writes  Mrs,  Jackson  : “I  am  very 
much  concerned  at  not  having  a letter  this  week,  but  my  trust 
is  in  the  Almighty.  How  precious  is  the  consolation  flowing 
from  the  Christian’s  assurance,  that  ‘All  things  work  together 
for  good  to  them  that  love  God!’  God  gave  us  a glorious  vic- 
tory in  the  Southwest  (at  Shiloh),  but  the  loss  of  the  great 
Albert  Sidney  Johnston  is  to  be  mourned.  I do  not  remember 
having  ever  felt  so  sad  at  the  death  of  a man  whom  I had 
never  seen.” 

In  the  same  letter,  he  refers  to  his  wife’s  concern  about  his 
fighting  on  Sunday,  and  says;  ‘‘I  was  greatly  concerned 
too,  but  I felt  it  my  duty  to  do  it.  So  far  as  I can  see,  my 
course  was  a wise  one.  I hope  and  pray  to  our  Heavenly 
Father  that  I may  never  again  be  circumstanced  as  on  that 
day.”  As  stated,  had  Jackson  not  fought  on  Sunday  at 
Kernstown  he  would  have  probably  lost  his  army,  and  John- 
ston would  have  been  overpowered  by  the  enemy 

During  this  time  Jackson  had  occasion  to  see  something  of 
the  spirit  of  disloyalty  in  certain  sections,  particularly  in  the 
mountains.  And  here  we  venture  the  observation  that,  with 
few  exceptions,  the  mountainous  regions  were  not  in  warm- 
est sympathy  with  the  South,  notably  East  Tennessee  and 
Northwestern  Virginia. 

In  North  Carolina,  some  of  the  best  men  of  that  grand  old 
State,  which  did  so  much  for  herself  and  the  cause  of  Southern 
independence  came  from  the  mountains.  But  the  per  cent,  of 
loyal  citizens,  as  a rule  are  not  found  as  hailing  from  the 
mountains.  Jackson  wrote  to  an  officer,  at  Richmond, 
Colonel  French,  complaining  of  desertions  ; and  also  that  he  had 
been  told,  some  of  the  men  gathered  in  as  recruits  said  they 
“would  not  shoot.” 

Jackson  writes  that  he  could  make  them  shoot,  but  could 
not  “make  them  aim  right.”  He  spoke  to  them  as  “non- 


Jackson  Leading  a Caniji  Pravei-- ineet i iig 


A Glimpse  of  Jackson. 

Copyrighted  by  the  Century  Co.  1S79. 


In  the  Virginia  Valley — The  Great  Supply  Region  for  which 
Jackson  Contended, — (N.  & W.  R.  R. ) 


(i8) 


One  of  General  Bank’s  Forts. — B.  & O.  R R. 


On  Battlefield  of  Fishers  Hill,  Ya. — B.  & O.  R.  R. 


FT.  GEN.  S.  D.  LEE,  OF  S.  C. 
AnJAdmired  Officer — Fought  with  Jackson. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  329 

combatants,”  and  decided  to  make  of  them  companies  of  100 
men  each,  but  not  issue  them  any  guns, — and  as  they  were 
careful  with  property,  and  understood  wagoning,  he  would 
when  occasion  required,  put  them  to  this  work,  and  take  men 
more  experienced  and  place  them  in  positions  of  more  value 
and  service.  Thus  he  kept  up  an  effective  system  of  the 
army  and  without  injury  to  the  dignity  of  esprit  de  corps  of 
his  men. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

CONGRESS  ADOPTS  HIS  SUGGESTIONS  CHANGING  ORDER  AND 

SYSTEM  OF  ARMY  PROMOTIONS. BATTLE  OF  MCDOWELL. 

A DESCRIPTION  OF  JACKSON. THE  MOST  BRILLIANT 

CAMPAIGN  IN  MILITARY  HISTORY. THE  VALLEY 

CAMPAIGN  IS  ENTERED. 

Through  the  suggestion  of  Jackson  two  important  military 
or  army  regulations  were  established  by  the  Congress  of  the 
Confederacy,  introduced  at  his  suggestion,  by  the  member 
from  his  district.  These  regulations  were  as  follows  ; First, 
That  all  officers  in  the  army  above  the  rank  of  third  lieuten- 
ant, should  be  selected  by  promotion  and  not  by  election. 
Second,  That  promotions  must  be  based  upon  merit  and  not 
upon  seniority.  The  wisdom  of  this  plan  of  providing  officers 
is  seen  readily ; it  prevents  favoritisms  and  political  influences 
from  shaping  the  destiny  of  soldiers  in  the  matter  of  re- 
wards, promotions,  etc.  In  the  late  war  with  Spain  there 
was  considerable  complaint  upon  this  subject  of  promotions, 
seniority,  etc.,  and  Jackson’s  plan  could  have  been  used  effect- 
ively. Jackson  made  this  suggestion  upon  army  promotions 
and  forms  of  providing  for  officers  because  of  an  act,  where  a 
cavalry  officer  was,  by  a foolish  regulation,  able  to  refuse  to 
obey  the  commanding  general. 

Again  “on  the  horizon  began  to  gather  the  dull  flecks  of 
threatening  battles.”  Banks,  Milroy,  Shields,  McDowell  and 
Fremont  of  the  Invader  army,  were  under  marching  orders. 
They  were  sent  to  “force  Jackson  well  back,”  as  the  orders 
read.  On  the  24th  of  April,  Banks  telegraphed  to  Washing- 
ton, “The  rebel  Jackson  has  abandoned  the  Valley  perma- 
nently and  is  en  route  to  Gordonsville,  by  the  way  of  the 
mountains.”  How  foolish  was  this  message;  as  ridiculous  as 
the  one  sent  from  Kernstown  that  “the  rebels  had  twelve 
thousand  men  and  lost  in  battle  thousands.”  The  only 
hypothesis  upon  which  these  excited  wire-workers  could  pos- 
sibly hope  to  have  their  government  believe  their  reports,  was 

on  the  ancient  paradox,  credo  quia  impossibile  est. 

330 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson  33 j 

Jackson’s  position  was  dangerous,  as  two  large  commands, 
in  fact  three,  were  after  him,  surrounding  him  on  two  sides 
and  from  behind.  His  ability  to  prevent  capture  or  losing 
the  Valley  to  the  enemy,  was  more  than  doubted  by  many, 
and  likely  this  impression,  which  was  commonly  expressed 
during  that  period,  led  to  the  sending  of  the  telegram  referred 
to,  that  Jackson  was  leaving  or  had  left  the  Valley.  A case 
of  wish  being  parent  to  the  thought?  Flashing  here,  there 
and  everywhere  were  the  will-o’-the-wisp  Jackson  men.  But 
in  reality  they  were  only  giving  an  exhibition  of  their  agility 
and  capacity  for  fleet-marching.  Shamming,  in  other  words, 
and  manoeuvering  actually.  A collision  must  come  sooner  or 
later,  and  when  Jackson  had  reached  a place  where  he  thought 
it  safe  to  pit  his  few  against  his  many-sided  enemy,  he  there- 
fore let  the  battle  of  McDowell,  called  by  the  Invaders  “Sit- 
lington  Hill,”  proceed  This  was  no  haphazard  affair  how- 
ever. Jackson  had  made  his  plans,  and  while  people  every- 
where were  conjecturing  and  wondering  “What  has  become  of 
Jackson,”  and  predicting  all  manner  of  ills,  etc.,  he  wag 
calmly  arranging  one  of  the  most  brilliant  operations  recorded 
in  military  records,  “Jackson’s  Valley  Campaign,”  as  it  is 
generally  called. 

Flis  present  plans  formed.  General  Ewell  came  from  Gordons- 
ville  and  General  Edward  Johnston  was  not  far  away.  Jack- 
son  concluded  to  have  Milroy  taken  first,  and  to  his  own  and 
Johnson’s  troops  he  assigned  this  task,  while  Ewell  was  to 
hold  Banks  and  then  the  three  to  unite  on  Banks.  In  his  at- 
tempt to  get  back  of  Milroy  he  had  a hard  forced  march  along 
muddy  roads.  He  even  aided  in  repairing  and  building  some 
portions  of  this  road  himself,  carrying  pieces  of  timber 
on  his  shoulder,  and  despite  the  fact  that  he  was  covered  with 
mud  from  the  march,  he  would  not  require  of  his  men  any 
service  he  would  not  himself  aid  in  executing.  His  men  said 
of  him,  “He  is  a soldier  as  well  as  our  general.” 

Milroy  got  reinforcements  through  General  Schenck,  and 
both  Milroy  and  Schenck  were  under  Fremont.  This 
gave  him  eight  thousand  troops.  These  men  fought  the  op- 
posing troops  desperately,  although  many  of  them  here  in  this 


332 


Story  of  Stonewafl  Jackson. 


battle  (and  this  was  in  the  early  part  of  the  “Civil”  ^Var), 
were  about  as  much  Americans  as  the  subjects  of  the  Emperor 
of  Germany  are  to-day.  Many  could  not  speak  English.  They 
were  “patriots  of  another  country”  rushed  here  to  kill  Amer- 
ican freemen,  and  on  their  own  soil.  Johnston  was  wounded 
and  had  to  leaA’e  the  field.  General  Taliaferro  took  his 
place. 

Many  brave  officers  and  men  lost  their  lives  that  day.  The 
battle  began  at  half-past  four  in  the  afternoon  and  lasted  un- 
til after  eight  that  night.  The  Defenders  used  no  cannons  in 
the  entire  engagement.  Milroy  left  the  field  to  the  Defenders, 
after  setting  fire  to  the  woods,  leaving  his  killed  and 
wounded  on  the  fields  and  in  the  burning  woods.  Dead 
soldiers  were  found  belonging  to  the  Invader  army.  In  one 
place  one  hundred  and  three  were  discovered  under  a pile  of 
brush  in  a small  ravine  or  hollow  among  the  hills.  At  Mc- 
Dowell, a little  village  near  where  the  battle  was  fought, 
and  from  vvhich  the  latter  received  its  name,  the  Southern 
soldiers  found  cases  of  new  guns,  all  kinds  of  munitions  and 
supplies,  and  among  other  things,  a complete  bakery ; this 
was  a valuable  addition  to  the  poor  equipment  owned  by  the 
Defenders.  The  twelfth  Georgia  Regiment  and  other  men 
from  the  far  South  fought  that  day  along  with  their  brothers. 

Jackson  chased  the  Invaders  as  far  as  Franklin,  twenty-four 
miles,  and  as  they  would  not  fight  but  continued  to  run  into 
the  mountains  and  set  fire  to  them,  he  withdrew.  Their  plan 
was  to  fight  with  fire.  The  smoke  completely  hid  their 
cannons,  and  the  men  got  in  behind  rocks,  and  therefore  fight- 
ing them  was  impossible. 

Jackson  telegraphed  this  simple,  modest  message  to  Rich- 
mond, “God  blessed  our  arms  with  victory  at  McDowell  yes- 
terday.” The  next  day  a scene  occurred,  which  we  will  relate 
in  the  words  of  a soldier  present.  “There  in  the  beautiful 
little  valley  of  the  South  Branch,  with  the  blue  and  towering 
mountains  covered  with  verdue  of  spring,  the  greensward 
smiling  a welcome  to  the  season  of  flowers,  the  bright  sun 
unclouded,  lending  genial  and  refreshing  warmth,  that  army 
equipped  for  the  stern  conflict  of  war,  bent  in  humble  praise 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


333 


and  thanksgiving  to  the  God  of  battles,  for  the  success  vouch- 
safed to  our  arms.” 

This  scene  was  an  impressive  one,  and  it  has  been  stated 
that  while  the  Southern  soldiers  were  engaged  in  prayer  the 
enemy  were  shelling  them  with  cannon.  Jackson  issued  an 
order  for  the  service,  reading:  “Soldiers  of  the  Army  of  the 
Valley  and  the  Northwest,  I congratulate  you  upon  your  re- 
cent victory  at  McDowell.  I request  that  you  unite  with  me 
this  morning  in  giving  thanks  to  Almighty  God  for  thus  hav- 
ing crowned  your  arms  with  success,  and  in  praying  that  He 
will  continue  to  lead  you  on  from  victory  to  victory,  until  our 
independence  shall  be  established  and  make  us  that  people 
whose  God  is  the  Lord.  The  chaplains  will  hold  divine  ser- 
vices at  lo  o’clock  A.  M.,  in  their  respective  regiments.” 

As  soon  as  these  services  were  over  the  command  to  march 
was  given. 

Banks  all  this  time  had  done  some  very  strange  things,  and 
among  them,  allowed  himself  to  be  cut  off  by  moving  some  of 
his  generals’  positions.  He  learned  of  the  defeat  at  McDowell 
and  at  once  began  to  move  toward  Winchester.  He  fixed  his 
commands  so  as  he  could  be  attacked  from  front  and  rear.  Jack- 
son  at  a glance  took  advantage  of  this,  and  was  like  a lion  pre- 
paring to  spring  upon  his  prey,  when  to  his  great  disappoint- 
ment, General  Ewell,  whom  he  had  left  to  watch  Banks, 
came  to  him,  after  a ride  of  a day  and  a night  without  even  an 
escort,  to  tell  him  that  Johnston  had  ordered  him,  Ewell,  to 
Gordonsville. 

General  Ewell  says  Jackson  remarked  sadly  : “Then  Provi- 
dence denies  me  the  privilege  of  striking  a decisive  blow  for 
my  country,  and  I must  be  satisfied  with  the  task  of  hiding 
my  little  army  among  these  mountains  to  watch  a superior 
force.”  This  was  too  much  for  the  big-hearted  Tennessean 
and  he  told  him,  as  he,  Jackson,  was  the  ranking  officer,  if  he 
would  take  the  responsibility  he,  Ewell,  would  remain  with 
him  until  he  could  at  least  hear  from  Johnston. 

Jackson  promptly  said  he  would  assume  all  the  responsi- 
bility. They  arranged  all  plans  and  Ewell  hurried  back  to 
his  command  ; and  what  follows  this  beginning  is  the  pivot  on 


334 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


which  will  rest  Jackson’s  fame  as  a commander,  when  left  to 
his  own  direction  and  responsibilities,  not  subject  to  the 
direction  of  others,  not  handicapped,  or  compelled  to  carry 
out  or  execute  some  plan,  he  had  no  part  in  forming;  and 
therefore,  a mere  executive.  History  will  write  him  as  un- 
matched as  a military  genius  and  capable  of  commanding 
any  army  ever  assembled,  and  of  planning  a campaign  with 
unexcelled  comprehension  and  foresight. 

During  all  these  stirring  days  Jackson  dashed  off  notes  to 
liis  wife,  or  a telegram,  now  and  then,  to  reassure  her,  for  she 
would  see  the  news  in  the  papers,  and  was  anxious,  fearing  he 
would  be  killed  in  battle.  On  the  19th  he  wrote  her,  “Near 
Harrisonburg,  May  19th — How  I do  desire  to  see  our  country 
free  and  at  peace  ! It  appears  to  me  that  I would  appreciate 
home  more  than  I have  ever  done  before.  Here  I am  sitting 
in  the  open  air,  writing  on  my  knee  for  want  of  a table 
Yesterday  Dr.  Dabney  preached  an  excellent  sermon  from  the 
text : ‘Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  ladened, 
and  I will  give  you  rest.’  It  is  a great  privilege  to  have  him 
with  me.”  It  is  not  possible  to  go  into  the  details  of  the  situ- 
ation of  affairs  when  Jackson  took  upon  himself  the  bold 
stroke.  It  is  enough  to  say  that  he  had  the  authorities  at 
Washington  in  consternation,  and  the  whole  army  of  the 
Invaders  guessing  and  in  dismay,  hlere  he  was  with  a few 
thousand  men,  not  a fourth  as  many  as  the  enemy  immedi- 
ately about  him,  terrorizing  three  armies  that  had  been  sent 
out  to  capture  him.  He  had  taken  the  “bits  iri  his  mouth” 
for  the  first  time  and  was  to  stand,  or  fall  by  the  responsi- 
bility he  had  taken,  to  run  a campaign  on  his  own  plan. 

Jackson  is  now  himself,  as  God  made  him,  and  as  all  fair 
and  just  treatment  entitled  him  to  be,  a man  of  independence 
and  responsibilities : a man,  who  within  a short  period  of 
time  would  dazzle  the  world  with  his  fame  and  name,  and  send 
death-like  terror  to  the  hearts  of  his  enemies,  who  were  counted 
in  arms  by  the  tens  of  thousands  ; and  more  than  this,  call  forth 
from  the  press  of  the  North  even,  the  acclamations  of  laudation 
and  praise  for  his  marvelous  splendor,  being  the  military 
genius  of  the  day  ! 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


335 


Let  us  picture  him  at  this  moment.  Away  up  in  the  moun- 
tains, far  from  telegraphs,  far  from  the  press,  far  fi'om  civiliza- 
tion almost,  this  dauntless  warrior  ate  and  slept  in  the  open 
air  with  his  invincible  band  of  heroes.  He  was  not  the  grand 
general  in  gold  lace  trimmings  and  sashes,  no  plumes  waved 
from  his  hat  nor  did  he  wear  the  “gaudy  raiment  of  the  bedecked 
knight;”  but  a man  wearing  an  old  gray  uniform  stained  by 
hard  marching  and  fighting,  rough  riding  and  the  mud,  wear 
and  usage  of  active  campaigning,  sunburnt,  almost  dilapidated 
in  appearance,  a cap  faded  and  homemade,  dingy  and  pecu- 
liarly a feature  of  its  illustrious  wearer ; (this  cap  has  been 
photographed  and  used  as  one  of  Jackson’s  well-known  marks. 
In  the  illustration  in  this  book  of  the  cabinet  standing  in  Con- 
federate Museum  at  Richmond,  will  be  seen  this  famous  cap, 
among  the  other  memorials  of  Jackson)  ; nothing  marking 
him  as  the  general  in  command,  except  a general’s  star  on  the 
collar  of  his  dingy  gray  coat ; even  this  star  was  worn  of 
its  lustre  by  exposure  to  rain  and  snow — such  was  the  per- 
sonal uniform  of  the  man  the  soldiers  loved  as  “old  Jack,” 
“Stonewall”  and  “Blue  Light  Elder this,  the  man  they 
had  sworn  to  follow  to  victory  or  death.  He  -was  in  his 
thirty-seventh  year ; a young  man , full  of  force;  a voonderful 
man;  well  named  thunderbolt  in  battle  f '■'■Stonewall." 

Within  ten  days  the  Defenders  had  marched  from  the  moun- 
tains at  Franklin  to  Front  Royal,  crossing  a mountain,  the 
Massanuttin,  which  runs  down  the  middle  of  the  Shenandoah 
Valley  from  near  Front  Royal  to  a point  near  Harrisonburg; 
making  in  reality,  two  valleys  of  the  one  great  Shenandoah 
Valley.  Jackson’s  command  consisted  of  troops  from  Louis- 
iana to  Maryland ; from  nearly  all  the  Southern  States,  (some 
from  each,  were  in  this  campaign  at  one  time  or  another). 

One  incident  occurred  to  show  how  the  same  country,  and 
even  the  same  State,  w^as  divided  by  the  war.  A fierce  fight 
occurred  in  this  campaign  between  Col.  Johnson  of  the  First 
Alaryland  Regiment,  on  the  side  of  the  South,  with  a regiment 
of  the  same  name,  First  IMarjdand  Regiment  on  the  side  of  the 
North.  Johnson  won. 

As  soon  as  Jackson  reached  Front  Royal,  the  enemy  began  to 


33^  Story  of  Stonewatr  Jackson. 

scatter,  but  not  before  opening  upon  the  Southern  troops  with 
cannons.  Jackson  sent  a courier  for  the  cannons  of  his  com- 
mand to  be  rushed,  but  the  courier  was  a mere  lad,  and  he 
never  reached  the  cannons,  but  fled.  This  act  of  the  boy, 
caused  a complete  change  as  to  the  system  of  appointing  or- 
derlies ever  after  in  the  army. 

1 delay  was  caused  by  the  roads  and  miscarriage  of  orders, 
and  night  came  on,  but  the  fighting  was  resumed  by  daylight, 
and  Jackson  kept  up  with  the  advance  skirmishers,  and  in  the 
heat  even,  directing  and  leading  charges  when  any  enemy 
was  encountered.  He  had  only  a few  cavalry,  as  his  army 
had  not  gotten  up,  but  with  odds  against  him,  four  to  one,  he 
created  a panic  as  soon  as  it  was  known  to  the  enemy  that 
Jackson  was  himself  “in  the  saddle,”  at  the  front  as  usual ; 
and  from  this  spread  a general  rout. 

Jackson  moved  his  main  command  to  Middletown,  and  as 
he  suspected,  caught  Banks’s  retreating  forces  on  their  march 
from  up  the  V'alley  to  Winchester.  He  charged  some  cavalry 
with  his  artillery — think  of  it — charging  cavalry  with  cannon  ! 
A sickening  scene  followed.  The  whole  regiment  was  caught 
up  and  dead  men  filled  the  road,  while  others  fell  from  their 
horses,  pretending  to  be  dead,  but  hid  behind  the  stone  fences 
along  the  road  on  both  sides  and  were  captured. 

The  enemy  saw  that  death  and  annihilation  was  upon  them, 
and  they  began  to  burn  their  stores,  their  weapons,  and  many 
ran  and  left  the  wagons  in  the  road  with  the  horses  hitched  to 
them.  All  night  yackson  rode  at  the  head  of  the  column  and 
ivlien  they  halted  to  rest,  he  would  keep  guard. 

Again  and  again  he  fell  into  the  rifle-fire  of  the  enemv 
posted  behind  the  stone  fences,  but  he  kept  on.  At  one  time, 
this  was  at  night,  a long  line  of  fire  shone  above  the  fence, 
and  Jackson  ordered  all  to  charge,  and  some  of  the  troops  not 
his  old  command,  faltered  and  he  grew  furious,  saying 
“Shameful.  Did  you  see  anybody  struck,  sir.?  Charge 
them!” 

Finally  it  was  decided  that  owing  to  darkness,  and  the 
enemy  having  the  fence  to  protect  them,  that  a halt  be  taken 
till  daylight.  Jackson  told  the  men  to  rest  and  he  would 


Story  of  Stoxewall  Jackson. 


337 


watch.  He  threw  a cloak  over  himself  and  for  the  rest  of  the 
night  repeated  his  silent  watch  over  his  sleeping  and  thor- 
oughly worn-out  troops.  They  were  not  at  Kernstown  again 
or  near  there. 

A stand  was  made  by  the  enemy  and  the  battle  opened  early 
next  morning,  May  25,  1862,  and  we  give  here  an  instance  of 
Jackson’s  emphatic  manner  of  giving  verbal  orders.  He  said 
to  an  officer:  “I  expect  the  enemy  to  bring  artillery  to  this 
hill!  You  understand  me,  sir,  do  you?  They  must  7iot  do  it! 
If  they  attempt  to  come,  charge  them  with  the  bayonet  and 
seize  their  guns;  clamp  tliei7i  otz  the  spot,  sir!”  As  he  gave 
this  order  those  who  saw  him  said  ; ‘‘he  looked  fiery  and  meant 
what  he  said.”*  The  battle  began  to  assume  serious  aspect, 
and  Jackson  went  to  the  top  of  a hill  referred  to  and  deliber- 
ately looked  at  the  enemy,  then  gave  the  command  : Forvjard 
after  the  e7ie777y!''‘  with  a yell  “loud  enough  to  wake  the 

^General  Butler  of  South  Carolina  relates  an  instance  of  Jackson’s 
positive  manner  in  treating  even  his  brigadier  generals.  Two  of  these 
general  officers  were  ordered  by  Jackson  to  take  a certain  position. 
They  went  to  Jackson  and  protested.  He  said  to  them : “Gentlemen* 
when  I receive  orders  it  is  my  habit  to  obey  them,  and  when  I give 
orders  I expect  them  to  be  obeyed.”  The  brigadiers  retired,  took  their 
positions  and  performed  #ieir  part  of  the  general  battle  successfully. 

Another  instance  is  given  of  Jackson’s  sparing  no  one,  when  he  had 
reason  to  doubt  their  conducting  themselves  as  soldiers — which  means 
obedience.  An  officer  failed  to  do  as  he  was  ordered;  he  went  to  Jack- 
son,  reported  that  he  did  not  consider  the  plan  reasonable,  or  some  such 
excuse.  Jackson  told  him  that  it  was  his  duty  to  obey  orders  first,  and 
reason  afterwards;  adding,  “Consider  yourself  under  arrest,  sir!” 

During  a perfect  monsoon  of  battle  on  one  occasion,  an  officer  to 
whom  Jackson  had  sent  an  order  to  make  a desperate  charge,  and  take 
certain  works  before  him,  said,  “General,  I can  not  make  this  charge; 
no  men  can  stand  such  fire,  they  will  all  be  killed  or  wounded  I ! Jackson 
calmly  told  the  excited  officer,  that  he  was  accustomed  to  take  care  of 
his  dead  and  wounded  and  for  him  to  make  the  charge,  which  the  officer 
did  and  with  but  slight  loss  won  the  works. 

Standing,  like  some  giant  in  a might  of  wrath,  looking  at  the  almost 
superhuman  bravery  of  Jackson’s  men  in  a struggle  to  capture  a posi- 
tion from  the  enemy.  General  Lee  said  to  Jackson,  “Can  your  men  stand 
this  deadly  fire.?”  Jackson  replied;  “My  men  will  stand  anything  for 
the  sake  of  their  country.”  Reordered  a courier  to  tell  a commander  to 
‘‘cease  firing  and  charge  with  the  bayonet.” 


338  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

dead.”  The  whole  of  the  Defenders  seemed  to  catch  the  spirit 
of  their  commander,  and  after  the  enemy  they  went,  driving 
everything  before  them  in  one  resistless  charge. 

The  day  was  won.  On,  on  rushed  the  victorious  Southern- 
ers and  the  men  of  both  armies  seemed  to  vie  with  each  other 
as  to  which  should  be  first  to  get  into  Winchester.  Jackson 
was  again  in  Winchester!  We  can  imagine  with  what  pride 
he  rode  into  that  town — a veritable  conqueror.  He  had  car- 
ried to  the  highest  success  the  vows  we  firmly  believe  he  made 
the  morning  he  left  Winchester  after  the  fateful  failure  of  his 
war  council  referred  to. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  town  were  dazed  with  the  tumult,  as 
they  had  no  warning  of  their  deliverers  being  near.  The  men 
as  well  as  Jackson  shared  the  pride  of  the  victory,  for  they, 
too,  had  once  been  driven  from  their  homes,  friends,  sweet- 
hearts, and  countrymen,  here.  There  was  wildest  rejoicing. 

At  Front  Royal,  Strasburg,  and  all  along  the  entire  way 
the  Defenders  had  come,  they  were  cheered  and  hailed  as  vic- 
tors by  the  people.  Women,  children  and  old  men  clung  to 
them  when  they  could  get  near,  and  blessed  them,  even  hugging 
their  horses,  while  it  was  difficult  for  the  men  to  move  along 
so  demonstrative  were  the  people  in  their  gratitude. 

The  enemy  not  content  with  a second  chastisement,  set  fire 
to  the  town ; and  while  the  citizens  were  rejoicing  at  their 
deliverance,  they  had  to  run  and  try  to  save  their  town  from 
another  variety  of  enemy’s  fire.  The  enemy  had  left  in  some 
of  these  buildings  their  own  sick  and  wounded  ; and  many  had 
ammunition  in  them;  knowing  this,  the  delicate  women  of 
the  town  they  had  tried  to  despoil  and  had  left  in  flames, 
their  comrades  to  the  mercy  of  which  were  exposed  and  help- 
lessly so,  put  forth  their  every  effort  to  extinguish  the  flres. 
They  were  aided  by  the  old  men  and  boys,  as  every  able- 
bodied  man  was  in  the  army.  The  town  was  saved  and  with 
it  the  poor,  unfortunate  men,  who  had  been  not  only  aban- 
doned b}^  their  fellow  comrades,  but  left  to  the  flames,  were 
saved.  In  the  name  of  Americans,  is  this  war?  Savages 
could  not  display  more  of  the  brutality  of  depravity  than  acts 
of  this  character. 


Story  of  Stone warl  Jackson 


339 


On  beyond  the  town  the  wretched  Invaders  were  still  flee- 
ing, and  the  fields  were  blue  with  men  prone,  flat  down  on  the 
ground  to  prevent  being  shot,  and  waiting  to  surrender.  A 
mass  of  men  lay  on  every  hand,  some  dying,  some  wounded, 
othars  palsied  by  the  sheer  fright  they  felt.  Knapsacks,  guns, 
blankets,  everything  in  a twist  and  toil  of  mad  confusion. 

Jackson  exclaimed;  “O,  that  my  cavalry  were  in  place! 
Never  was  there  such  a chance  for  cavalry ! Go  back  and  or- 
der up  the  nearest  batteries  you  can  find.”  He  told  an  officer 
who  had  dashed  up  to  ask  him  if  he  wished  such  an  order 
given,  “Order  up  every  battery  and  every  brigade  to  forward 
to  the  Potomac.” 

Jackson  felt,  and  justly  so,  the  unpardonable  remissness  of 
the  cavalry  that  utterly  failed  him,  and  he  said  openly,  that 
had  the  cavalry  done  its  duty  and  not  stayed  back  to  pillage, 
and  had  they  not  refused  to  join  their  comrades  on  foot  who 
had  run  all  day  and  fought  until  nearly  exhausted,  not  a man 
would  have  been  left  of  the  Invaders. 

It  seems  a cavalry  officer  of  Ewell’s  forces  refused  to  obey 
an  order  from  Jackson.  This  caused  serious  loss.  The  act 
was  one  barely  short  of  treachery  ; but  no  doubt,  the  officer 
did  not  intend  his  lack  of  good  sense  to  be  so  severely  judged. 
Jackson  had  to  contend  with  considerable  amount  of  this  sort 
of  insubordination  and  it  is  readily  accounted  for.  Jealousy 
is  the  bane  of  armies  and  navies, 

A part  of  the  cavalry  had  failed  him,  and  the  infantry  was 
exhausted,  having  been  marching  and  fighting  since  the  pre- 
vious morning ; it  was  now  about  noon  of  the  second  day.  He 
ordered  the  infantry  to  halt.  Nature  could  do  no  more.  The 
men  had  been  without  food,  or  nearly  so,  for  thirty-six  hours, 
and  apart  from  their  exertions  in  fighting  and  marching,  had, 
the  morning  before,  double-quicked,  run,  and  marched  stead- 
ily after  the  enemy  from  Front  Royal, nearly  twenty-five  miles 
away. 

Immediately  they  went  into  camp  for  rest  and  food.  Finally 
the  cavalry  came  up,  and  they  were  ordered  to  drive  the  In- 
vaders out  of  the  State.  This  they  did,  and  well,  driving  them 
beyond  Martinsburg,  across  the  Potomac.  Banks  was  the  first 


340  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

of  the  fugitives  to  get  into  Martinsburg,  having  deserted  his 
army  long  before  the  battle  closed.  So  different  was  this  kind 
of  “loyalty”  to  the  patriotism  and  loyalty  of  Jackson  ; he 
not  only  remained  with  his  brave  soldiers,  but  watched  over 
them  as  they  slept — the  only  sentry  on  watch  and  the  enemy 
everywhere  around  him. 

While  at  McDowell,  he  did  not  sleep  until  he  saw  all  the 
sick,  wounded,  and  even  the  young  cadets  from  his  old  Vir- 
ginia Military  Institute  (who  had  come  out  as  a battalion,  to 
fight  in  this  battle)  safe,  and  provided  for — then  he  lay  down 
on  the  ground,  and  slept. 

In  the  fight  the  day  before,  Jackson  lost  a young  officer  Cap- 
tain Sheats,  whose  life  promised  a great  deal  for  his  country. 
Only  a year  before  he  was  a boy  on  his  father’s  farm  in  the 
Valley.  He  managed  to  get  all  the  horses,  weapons,  and  near- 
ly every  article  needed  to  fit  out  a full  cavalry  company,  and 
everything  he  had,  he  captured  from  the  enemy;  so  his  outfit 
cost  his  government  nothing.  He  got  up  a cavalry  company 
and  was  a young  man  on  whom  Ashby  relied.  He  was  lost 
in  a desperate  charge  not  far  from  Strasburg.  Many  of  the 
best  young  men  of  the  South  gave  up  their  lives  in  these 
two  days. 

Banks’s  army  had  been  driven  by  the  Defenders  about  sixty 
miles  in  thirty-six  hours.  When  the  Southern  soldiers  drove 
the  last  Invader  across  the  Potomac,  a large  lot  of  slaves  were 
found,  whom  the  Invaders  had  decoyed  from  their  masters,  all 
over  the  valley,  telling  them  Jackson  was  coming  and  would 
kill  them. 

How  infinitely  cruel  and  wicked  was  this  act,  and  how 
clearly  the  character  of  the  negro  is  shown ; but  there  is  much 
sympathy  to  be  extended  this  race.  In  this  case  the  Southern 
troops  saw  that  these  poor  creatures  got  safely  back  to  their 
homes. 

In  reading  of  war,  and  even  after  gazing  upon  photographs 
and  sketches  taken  during  the  actual  operations  of  a bat- 
tle and  the  written  details  concerning  same,  “It  is  impossible,” 
says  a brother  who  served  four  years  in  the  field,  “to  grasp 
the  awfulness  of  a battle.”  We  have  heard  many  men  talk 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  341 

of  war  and  battles,  and  have  gone  over  the  grounds  on  which 
fiercest  battles  raged,  and  where  tens  of  thousands  of  men, 
with  the  machinery  of  war,  made  desperate  havoc? 

At  the  approach  of  battle,  the  older  men,  that  is,  the  veter- 
ans, know  of  it  by  the  accustomed  signs,  such  as  activity 
about  headquarters,  strictness  along  the  picket-lines,  an  order 
now  and  then  concerning  rations,  and  other  preparations, 
that  indicate  something  on  the  line  of  anticipation.  The  men 
are  not  told  that  a battle  is  ahead  of  them.  They  have 
pledged  themselves  to  follow  the  authorities  and  leaders  with- 
out questioning;  and  good  soldiers  are  prompt  to  do  this. 
Occasionally  a subaltern  may  have  picked  up  a crumb  or  a 
scrap  around  headquarters,  or  an  astute  picket  caught  a cou- 
rier off  his  guard  and  managed  to  get  an  inkling  of  where  he 
was  going  or  where  he  was  from,  and  connecting  all  these 
bits  of  information,  the  men  gradually  guess  pretty  close  to 
the  condition  of  affairs. 

No  one  knows  the  hour  when  the  bugles  and  drums  and 
shouts  of  officers  and  the  dashing  here,  there,  and  everywhere 
of  couriers,  bearing  various  orders  and  instructions,  may  call 
them  to  battle.  There  may  be  some  marching,  and  often  is, 
before  the  scene  of  the  conflict,  war’s  arena,  is  reached;  or  it 
may  be  an  immediate  participation  without  further  warning. 

The  fatigue,  mental  strain,  and  heartache  of  a battle  are 
difficult  to  be  realized  by  those  who  have  never  seen  or  been 
engaged  in  one.  There  is  often  a halt  and  the  men  are  held 
in  sight  of  the  battle  in  the  dread  expectancy  suffered  under 
bursting  shells,  of  being  called  any  moment  to  plunge  into  the 
vortex.  This  is  most  dreaded  by  men  who  have  been  in  bat- 
tles ; and  it  is  only  the  novice  who  fails  to  realize  the  dread 
horrorof  waiting  on  the  eve  or  outlines  of  a battle,  that  knows 
nothing  of  the  sufferings  and  suspense.  All  old  soldiers  will 
tell  you  that  they  would  rather  fight  five  battles  and  be  in  the 
hottest  part  of  the  fray,  than  remain  for  fifteen  minutes  just 
outside  the  firing-mine  and  endure  the  trials  which  the  posi- 
tion entails. 

Battles  open  in  many  different  ways.  When  we  use  the 
word  battle,  we  refer  to  a collision  of  magnitude, — one  that 


342  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

has  been  deliberately  planned,  and  all  the  details  worked  out 
by  generals  and  engineers — skirmishes  are  liable  to  occur  in  a 
somewhat  hap-hazard  fashion.  We  do  not  mean  by  the  ex- 
pression “in  many  ways”  as  applied  to  the  opening  of  a battle, 
that  the  opening  is  one  of  chance,  but  the  position  and  con- 
dition of  the  field  operates  in  concluding  or  in  determining  in 
the  mind  of  the  commanding  or  general  officers  as  to  whether 
the  cavalry,  artillery,  or  infantry,  will  take  the  initial,  or  a 
combination  of  the  three.  Usually  the  cavalry  brings  on  the 
battle;  and  the  artillery  is  used  mainly  to  hold  off  advances 
and  to  protect  the  infantry.  At  some  parts  of  the  battle, 
cavalry,  infantry,  and  artillery  are  all  engaged. 

The  energy  displayed  in  a battle  is  likely  the  supreme  dis- 
play of  mental  and  physical  powers  of  man  ; when  ball  and 
shell,  sabers  and  bayonets,  are  mingled  in  the  din  and  smash 
and  clash,  there  is  no  time,  not  a moment,  for  the  exercise 
of  any  other  law  than  that  of  self-preservation,  which  begins 
at  the  individual  soldier  and  goes  on  until  it  reaches  the  entire 
corps. 

When  the  operations  of  a battle  have  included  the  fullest 
meaning  of  the  violent  collision,  men  are  inspired  by  the  vary- 
ing emotions,  from  self-preservation  to  the  highest  claims  of  , 
chivalry.  There  is  the  mad,  wild  rush  for  position  ; the  din 
of  explosions  from  the  rifle  to  cannon ; the  heat,  the  smoke, 
dust,  or  the  rain,  the  ice  and  the  snow,  the  storm  or  the  fair 
and  calm;  but  the  men  fight  on  amidst  the  shrieks  of  pain, 
groans  of  the  dying,  appeals  for  help  when  there  is  no  time 
or  hand  to  give  this  help ; cries  for  water  when  there  is  no 
water;  the  thirst,  hunger,  turmoil,  and  above  all,  the  thought 
of  loved  ones  far  away  ; and  the  agony  impelled  by  the  thought 
that  death  may  come,  in  the  scenes  about  them  and  these 
loved  ones  could  not  be  near. 

There  is  the  charm,  too,  of  excitement ; the  thrill  of  hope  and 
victory ; the  love  and  pride  of  country,  home  and  self ; the 
surging  to  and  fro  while  comrades  fall,  and  the  fate  of  battle 
hanging  heavily  ; the  yells  of  officers  and  the  shouts  of  leaders 
everywhere  urging  the  men,  in  the  name  of  country,  family 
and  self,  to  fight  to  the  death. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


343 


Then  the  charge.  It  may  be  the  rush  of  cavalry  or  cf  weary 
infantry — repulse?  retreat? — no!  Rally!  And  the  command 
rings  out,  “Charge  with  tnr:  bayonet!”  The  boys,  brave 
little  souls,  rattle  in  with  their  drums  and  roll  out  the  rally. 
And  on  the  surging  masses  plunge.  Shells  bursting,  bullets 
singing,  missiles  whistling,  but  on  they  go ! Then  comes  the 
yell,  which  for  deep  tones  and  long-sounding  terror,  has  nev- 
er before  marked  the  horrors  of  battle — the  Rebel  Yell ! 

A chorus  of  thousands  of  voices  of  men  who,  with  but  one 
impulse,  have  sworn  to  win  or  die  in  the  last  line  of  fire ! On 
the  enemy  comes  ! Cannon  to  the  right  and  left — cavalry,  in- 
fantry, rush  down  upon  the  battle  plains.  Defenders  stand  in 
grim  defiance  hurling  a deadly  fire  ; and  then  the  final  crash ! 
Another  yell — the  scream  of  voices  and  glorious  shouts  of  vic- 
tory as  the  men  advance  and  rout  the  enemy;  or,  if  defeat  be 
their  portion,  and  retreat  or  capture  the  penalty,  the  heart 
breaks  and  the  battle  ends. 

But  be  the  results  a victory  or  defeat,  on  the  fields,  stained 
in  a thousand  places  by  the  blood  of  their  comrades,  are  the 
dead  and  wounded,  ghastly  in  a score  of  ways.  The  sicken- 
ing sense  of  war’s  horrors  chills  the  blood  of  the  hardened  vet- 
eran, but  war  is  their  occupation  and  the  condition  is  ac- 
cepted. Often  on  the  battlefield  the  army  is  bivouacked,  eat- 
ing and  sleeping  as  best  they  can,  many  realizing  that  the  fit- 
ful fever  of  the  day  and  the  mockery  of  rest  by  night  will  all 
be  passed  before  another  night  draws  its  curtain,  and  darkness 
and  silence  fall  upon  their  dead  forms. 

The  next  day  Jackson  issued  orders  in  which  the  men  were 
complimented  to  the  last  degree  for  their  valor  and  patriotic 
compliance  with  their  call  to  duty,  but  we  give  the  great  man’s 
own  words  below.  They  are  as  follows  ; 

“Within  four  weeks  this  army  has  made  long  and  rapid 
marches,  fought  six  combats  and  two  battles,  signally  defeat- 
ing the  enemy  in  each  one,  captured  several  stands  of  colors 
and  pieces  of  artillery,  with  numerous  prisoners,  vast  medi- 
cal ordinance  and  army  stores ; and  finally  has  driven  the 
boastful  host,  which  was  ravaging  our  beautiful  country,  into 
utter  rout. 


344 


Story  of  Stonewatl  Jackson. 


“The  general  commanding  would  warmly  express  to  the 
officers  and  men  under  his  command  his  joy  in  their  achieve- 
ment, and  his  thanks  for  their  brilliant  gallantry  in  action  and 
their  patient  obedience  under  the  hardships  of  forced*  marches, 
often  more  painful  to  the  brave  soldier  than  the  dangers  of 
battle. 

“The  explanation  of  the  severe  exertions  to  which  the  com- 
manding general  called  the  army,  which  were  endured  by 
them  with  cheerful  confidence  in  him,  is  now  given,  in  the 
victory  of  yesterday.  He  receives  this  proof  of  their  confi- 
dence in  the  past  with  pride  and  gratitude,  and  asks  only  a 
similar  confidence  in  the  future. 

“But  his  chief  duty  to-day,  and  that  of  the  army,  is  to  rec- 
ognize devoutly  the  hand  of  a protecting  Providence,  in  the 
brilliant  success  of  the  last  three  days  (which  have  given  us 
the  results  of  a great  victory  without  great  losses)  ; and  to 
make  the  oblation  of  our  thanks  to  God  for  his  mercies  to  us 
and  our  country,  in  heart-felt  acts  of  religious  worship  For 
this  purpose  the  troops  will  remain  in  camp  to-day,  suspend- 
ing as  far  as  practicable,  all  military  exercises ; and  the  chap- 
lains of  regiments  will  hold  divine  service  in  their  several 
charges  at  4 o’clock,  p.  m.”* 

The  men  found  so  much  in  Winchester  that  the  immense 
stores  the  cavalry  had  captured  a few  days  before  at  Martin- 
burg  seemed  very  small.  In  Winchester  the  Invaders  had  reg- 
ular stores  and  shops.  They  had  begun  to  think  the  town  be- 
longed to  them,  and  from  all  accounts  the  average  Invader- 
sutler  was  not  a very  modest  person  at  best,  but  would,  when 
they  had  a chance,  get  all  the  money  the  Northern  soldiers  had 
and  what  the  negroes  could  be  induced  to  take  away  from  their 
owners,  in  the  way  of  various  property.  They  were  growing 
rich  rapidly.  Their  grief  was  severe  when  they  saw  the  “stars 
and  bars”  instead  of  the  “stars  and  stripes”  floating  over 
their  rich  little  depot,  Winchester.  Their  hearts,  so  patriotic 
and  true,  nearly  broke.  They  did  not  mind  in  the  least  the 
loss  of  their  goods  and  ill-gotten  gains  but  their  sense  of  pa- 

*See  appendix  for  Jackson’s  official  report  on  the  battle  of  Valiev 
Campaign. 


stonewall  Bris>'ade  Uaiul. — (See  Sketch  of  Band  in  Appendix, 
By  Kindness  of  tlie  Copfe  lerate  Veteran, 


mum 

1 

‘‘On  the  Rail.” 


We’ll  Sina; 'ro-iiiirl,|  ii,ul  Kif^lU  To-inorrow,  lUilly  IJoys,  ( )li  ! N i.ijlil  A iniisemciit  Anmiul  Coiil'edcriit c 
Camp  Fire.  — From  “Conredcrate  Soldier  in  the  Civil  War  ” 


(19) 


JACKSON. 

(From  Steel  Engraving^ 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


349 


triotism  was  bruised.  They  scorned  such  impudence  of  the 
“rebel  ragamuffins”  to  dare  come  and  take  their  Winchester 
away  from  them — “the  salt  of  the  loyalty  of  America” — these 
sutlers. 

The  men  could  not  resist  the  chance  to  get  some  new  clothes, 
- and  to  Jackson’s  horror,  when  he  got  his  nap  out  (Jackson 
late  in  the  evening  before,  went  to  a hotel  utterly  exhausted 
and  went  to  sleep  with  his  clothes  and  even  his  boots  on),  and 
was  again  on  the  streets,  there  before  him  stood  whole  com- 
panies dressed  to  the  cap  in  brand  new  “yankee”  uniforms. 

There  were  some  things  at  which  Jackson  drew  the  line, 
and  was  one  of  them.  Anything  like  “Yankee  cloze,” 
as  some  of  the  jolly  capturers  of  these  stores,  called  their  nevj 
uniforms,  Jackson  could  not  tolerate.  Blue  did  not  suit  the 
color  of  their  General’s  ideas  at  that  time,  and  he  immediately 
wrote  an  order  which  soon  separated  the  blue  and  the  gray 
and  put  the  gray  where  he  decided  it  belonged — on  the  backs 
of  his  men. 

Now  these  men  did  not  intend  to  don  blue  as  their  color. 
They  were  in  need  of  clothes  and  it  is  natural  they  should  not 
be  very  particular  as  to  color.  Jackson  was  not  so  very  hard 
on  the  “boys,”  he  simply  had  the  provost-marshal  to  arrest 
every  soldier  in  “Yankee  uniform,”  as  though  they  were  the 
real  article — a “Yankee”  indeed.  The  men  took  off  their  new 
things  and  put  on  their  old  gray  uniforms,  but  they  kept  the 
shoes.  No  doubt  many  sent  their  new  clothes  home  and  had 
them  dyed,  and  when  the  color  they  loved  as  much  as  Jack- 
son,  or  any  man,  was  given  them,  they  were  returned  and  be- 
came the  comfortable  apparel  of  many  a poor  Southern  soldier. 

Many  of  the  overcoats  captured  during  the  war  were  changed 
by  the  art  of  the  dyers,  and  became  black,  or  very  dark 
blue,  or  brown.  Some  of  these  old  “Yankee  overcoats”  can 
be  seen  to  this  day,  in  the  remote  regions,  in  either  black, 
brown  or  “grayish-green,”  and  some  “undyed.” 

It  is  interesting  to  see  the  enemy’s  view  of  matters,  and  the 
report  of  the  Winchester  battles  are  sparkling  instances  of 
how  very  sensitive  the  pens  of  some  people  become  when  their 
military  or  political  conduct  has  been  opened  to  criticism  by 


350  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

circumstances,  and  Iiovv  easily  the  pen  can  slip.  But  we 
would  like  to  give  some  of  the  e.xtracts  from  Northern  papers 
of  this  battle,  and  will  here  repeat  a few  from  correspond- 
ents of  Northern  papers,  who  were  with  the  Invaders.  This  is 
from  one  who  witnessed  the  Winchester  rout : 

“During  breakfast  I heard  the  tramping  of  horses  upon  the 
road,  and  the  heavy  rolling  of  artillery  over  the  pavements. 
Certainly,  I thought,  there  can  be  no  haste ; we  shall  not  be 
compelled  to  leave  Winchester.  Presently  there  was  a com- 
motion, a sobbing  among  the  women,  and  a running  to  and 
fro,  which  brought  me  to  my  feet  in  time  to  find  our  forces 
were  started  on  a hasty  retreat ; and,  as  I saw  flames  rising 
from  the  burning  buildings  not  far  oft’,  and  heavy  volumes  of 
smoke  roll  upward  from  them,  I began  to  realize  that  we  were 
to  abandon  Winchester.  Burning  a town  it  seems  was  a part 
of  their  plan  of  retreat  and  a sort  of  signal  to  vamose. 

“The  enemy  were  in  the  other  end  of  the  town,  as  the  rattle 
and  echo  of  the  musketry  up  the  streets  and  between  the 
houses  most  plainly  indicated.  All  the  streets  were  com- 
motion. Cavalry  were  rushing  disorderly  away,  and  infantry, 
frightened  by  the  rapidity  of  their  mounted  companions,  were 
in  consternation.  All  were  trying  to  escape  as  fast  as  their 
neighbors,  dreading  most  of  all  to  be  the  last. 

“Presently  the  enemy’s  cannon  boomed  in  the  rear,  and 
small  clouds  of  smoke  in  the  sky,  suddenly  appearing  and  then 
dissolving,  showed  where  the  ball  had  exploded.  Some  shells 
fell  among  our  men,  and  the  panic  was  quite  general  for  a 
while.  Guns,  knapsacks,  cartridge  boxes,  bayonets,  and 
bayonet  cases  lay  scattered  upon  the  ground  in  great  confusion, 
thrown  away  by  the  panic  stricken  soldiers.” 

It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  that  Jackson’s  men  cheered  him 
whenever  he  came  in  sight,  with  his  old  dingy  uniform  and 
well  worn  cap  ; or  that  they  would  call  him  by  names  of  affec- 
tion. Once  one  of  the  soldiers  asked  another:  “Why  is  ‘old 
Jack’  a better  general  than  Moses?”  After  guessing  various 
comparisons,  the  conundrum  was  ‘ ’given  up”.  “Because  it  took 
Moses  forty  years  to  lead  the  Israelites  through  the  wilder- 
ness, and  ‘old  Jack’  would  have  double-quicked  them  through 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson  351 

in  three  days.”  Jackson  was  famous  for  swift  marches.  In 
this  lay  a great  deal  of  the  success  he  and  his  men  gained. 
Upon  an  occasion  one  of  his  regiments  marched  fifty-two 
miles  in  one  day. 

Armies  can  not  move  like  small  bodies.  They  are  large,  and 
move  slow  as  a rule;  but  Jackson  forced  everything.  He 
would  ride  in  front,  and  keep  a constant  system  of  hurrying 
up  from  the  time  he  took  the  saddle.  It  was  not  “you  do  this 
and  that”  but  he  set  the  example.  If  they  had  to  march  in 
rain,  sleep  in  rain,  eat  in  rain,  he  was  with  them ; or  if  in 
snow  or  storm  he  shared  every  danger  and  ill,  and  was  at  the 
front,  always  at  the  front. 

As  has  been  said,  there  was  little  of  “red-tape  soldier”  about 
him.  At  one  time  when  orders  were  being  sent  him  by  bud- 
gets almost,  he  lost  patience  and  having  sent  often  for  men  to 
use  in  his  campaigns  and  failed  to  get  them,  sent  word  that  he 
wanted  fewer  orders  and  more  men.  He  sent  this  message 
that  has  become  historic.  “ Give  me  more  men  and  fewer  or- 
ders.” 

In  battle  he  wms  all  activity;  “here,  there  and  everywhere, 
though  as  calm  as  if  no  fighting  was  going  on  and  he  was  en- 
gaged in  parade  or  practice  exercises.”  He  would  dash  in 
among  the  cannons  or  infantry  and  give  orders  in  his  sharp, 
snappy  manner  for  a regiment  to  take  positions  he  would  in- 
dicate. During  an  engagement,  he  fully  realized  the  impera- 
tive need  of  action  and  no  man  more  fully  appreciated  the 
value  of  a moment,  than  he. 

On  the  evening  he  was  wounded  he  said  if  he  had  an  hour 
more  of  daylight  he  would  have  driven  the  enemy  from  his 
position  and  compelled  his  surrender  ; and  this,  too,  in  the  face 
of  his  almost  superhuman  and  brilliant  successes  of  that  fatal 
day. 

The  results  of  the  campaign  just  referred  to,  in  the  matter 
of  captures,  included  nearly  a half  million  dollars  worth  of 
property  (a  considerable  portion  of  which  the  Invaders  man- 
aged to  destroy,  by  a misunderstanding  on  part  of  some  of  the 
regiments  of  Jackson’s  forces,  and  by  which  the  Invaders  got 
back  into  Front  Royal),  about  3,000  prisoners;  9,354  small 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


352 

arms,  two  pieces  of  artillery,  many  fine  horses,  which 
Banks  in  his  report  boasts  he  took  from  Virginia  farmers, 
and  a great  variety  of  ammunition  and  other  army  outfits  and 
supplies,  over  a hundred  head  of  cattle,  34,000  pounds  of 
bacon,  flour,  sugar,  coffee,  hard-bread,  cheese  and  other  ration 
supplies  and  hundreds  of  thousands  worth  of  commissary 
supplies,  immense  medical  stores  arid  sutler  stores.  The  De- 
fenders had  also  killed  a large  number  of  their  foe  and  driven 
the  balance,  except  prisoners  and  wounded,  out  of  the  State. 

Of  the  prisoners  captured  many  were  released  and  allowed 
to  be  sent  to  their  people,  as  they  were  ill  and  the  conditions 
would  not  admit  of  their  being  held.  In  a foot-note  the  mat- 
ter of  treatment  of  prisoners  is  referred  to.* 

It  was  during  the  race  of  the  armies,  through  Winchester — 
Jackson’s  army  behind, — while  old  men  and  women  were 
caressing  the  horses  of  the  officers  and  troopers,  the  men  were 
being  embraced  by  the  grateful  young  ladies  of  the  noble  little 
city,  and  all  was  victory,  that  Jackson  for  the  first  and  last 
time,  was  known  to  lose  his  dignity  far  enough  to  utter  any- 
thing like  a triumphant  expression. 

*FOOD  AND  TREATMENT  OF  PRISONERS. 

The  policy  of  the  Confederates  was  established  by  law.  By  an  Act  of  the 
Confederate  Congress  passed  soon  after  the  war  was  inaugurated,  it  wa.s 
provided  that  prisoners  of  war  should  have  the  same  rations  in  quantity 
and  quality  as  Confederate  soldiers  in  the  field.  By  an  Act  afterwards 
passed,  all  hospitals  for  sick  and  wounded  prisoners  were  put  upon  the 
same  footing  with  hospitals  for  sick  and  wounded  Confederates.  This 
policy  was  never  changed.  There  was  no  discrimination  in  either  par- 
ticular between  Federal  prisoners  and  Confederate  soldiers.  Whatever 
food  or  fare  the  Confederate  soldiers  had,  whether  good  or  bad,  full  or 
short,  the  Federal  prisoners  shared  equally  with  them.  Whatever 
medical  attention  the  sick  and  wounded  Confederate  soldiers  had,  the 
Federal  prisoners  in  like  condition  also  received.  Where  the  supply  of 
the  usual  standard  medicines  was  exhausted  and  could  not  be  replenished 
in  consequence  of  tne  action  of  the  Federal  government  in  holding 
them  to  be  contraband  of  war  and  in  preventing  their  introduction  by 
blockade  and  severe  penalties  when  resort  was  had  to  the  virtues  of  the 
healing  herbs  of  the  country,  as  substitutes  for  more  efficient  remedial 
agents  the  suffering  Federal  shared  these  equally  with  like  suffering 
Confederates. — 1898  Report  of  Surgeon-General  United  Confederater 
Veterans . 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


353 


It  was  during  the  race  of  the  armies  through  Winchester — 
Jackson’s  army  behind, — while  old  men  and  women  were 
caressing  the  horses  of  the  officers  and  troops,  the  men  were 
being  embraced  by  the  grateful  young  ladies  of  the  noble  little 
city,  and  all  was  victory,  that  Jackson  for  the  first  and  last 
time,  was  known  to  lose  his  dignity  far  enough  to  utter  any- 
thing like  a triumphant  expression. 

Jackson  could  not  withstand  the  scene  before  him  ; he  had  in 
the  words  of  his  namesake  of  the  Hermitage  “triumphed  over 
his  enemies,”  and  feeling  deeply  the  wrong  done  him  the  day 
he  and  his  men  had  been  forced  only  a short  time  before  to 
leave  these  people  they  loved,  and  remembering  Kernstown, 
he  gave  way  to  the  emotions  crowding  his  brave  heart,  and 
throwing  his  old  cap  over  his  head,  like  a school-boy  he  joined 
in  with  the  most  enthusiastic  cheerers. 

After  a short  rest,  only  a day,  Jackson  went  at  the  enemy 
again.  On  the  morning  of  the  28th  of  May  he  was  on  their 
trail  again,  and  bearing  down  on  Charlestown.  General 
Winder  of  his  army  met  the  Invaders  near  Charlestown  and 
a skirmish  opened,  and  with  a running  fight,  he  pursued  the 
enemy  beyond  the  town  and  until  he  saw  their  position  over- 
looking Harper’s  Ferry  (to  which  point  Jackson  had  started), 
was  too  well  guarded,  when  be  returned  to  await  reinforce- 
ments. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

ON  WITH  Jackson’s  valley  compaign. 

News  came  about  this  time  from  the  gallant  12th  Georgia 
Regiment,  which  had  been  left  to  watch  the  Invaders  under 
Fremont  and  Shields,  who  were  known  to  be  on  the  lookout 
to  cut  Jackson  off,  in  event  of  his  again  being  forced  to  go 
down  the  Valley,  that  these  generals  of  the  Invader  army 
were  after  carrying  out  just  what  he  supposed,  and  were  ar- 
ranging to  cut  him  off  and  effect  his  capture. 

Jackson  at  once  recalled  the  Second  Virginia  Regiment — a 
regiment  that  has  an  enviable  record.  They  marched  that 
day  over  forty  miles  without  a single  ration  of  food.  These 
men  began  their  forced  march  from  the  mountain  top  (the 
heights)  at  Harper’s  Ferry.  When  he  got  to  Winchester  on 
the  29th  of  May,  he  sent  orders  to  troops  following,  not  to 
lialt  until  they  passed  that  town,  that  they  must  force  their 
march.  His  men  knew  this  meant  that  great  danger  was 
near  and  certain,  and  they  responded  vigorously  to  the  de- 
mand upon  their  strength  and  endurance. 

Many  soldiers  consider  a forced  march  as  taxing  upon  the 
nervous  system  as  the  exertion  of  battle.  In  one  the  soldier 
has  the  aid  of  excitement  and  vivid  distraction,  and  while  the 
other,  the  march,  is  thrilling — especially  if  battles  are  ahead — 
yet  the  long,  weary  tramp,  hunger  and  often  thirst,  foot-sore- 
ness and  a burden  of  heavy  equipments — often  as  much  as  sev- 
enty pounds — are  not  calculated  to  give  any  degree  of  pleasure. 
The  soldier,  too,  on  the  march,  is  often  ill  enough  to  be  con- 
lined  to  the  cot  or  tent ; but  men  forget  all  these  hardships 
when  duty  calls  and  their  comrades  need  them. 

Once  Jackson  was  severely  criticised  for  marching  his  men 
so  hard  (long,  forced  journeys)  and  even  his  most  patient  and 
devoted  officers  complained  of  this.  He  would  always  reply 
to  any  criticism  on  this  subject ; “/  'would  rather  tire  down 

a few  men  in  a forced  7narch  than  reach  a battle  too  late,  and, 
in  consequence,  lose  7nany  771077.'“'  There  is  no  answer  to  this 

argument,  and  if  this  plan  is  observed  closely  it  will  be  found 
354 


Stokv  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


355 


no  easy  matter  to  answer  any  of  Jackson’s  views,  except  to 
agree  with  his  sound  sense  and  his  just  and  absolute  manner  of 
both  thought  and  action. 

To  be  early  on  the  battle-field  and  secure  choice  of  position 
may  require  hard  marching,  but  as  death  often  follows  tardy 
arrival  at  the  battle-field,  the  fatigue  feature  of  a forced  march 
can  not  be  compared  with  the  results  of  reaching  a battle  and 
being  forced  into  desperate  positions, 

Jackson  continued  the  Valley  march  and  the  fast  gait,  until 
the  danger  point  had  been  safely  passed,  when  he  ordered  rest 
and  took  a gait  more  on  a strolling  motion.  He  was  rushing 
the  men  to  get  to  a place  where  they  could  stand  the  attacks 
of  the  enemy,  and  as  he  knew  Shields  and  Fremont  were  after 
him,  he  realized  the  necessity  of  protecting  his  little  army  by 
placing  them  in  every  advantage,  position  would  give.  He 
was  somewhat  hampered  by  his  trains  of  spoils,  captured  from 
the  enemy  a while  before,  and  he  had  to  press  into  service  the 
private  carriages  of  the  people  in  Winchester  and  elsewhere, 
to  transfer  parts  of  his  captured  stores. 

He  had  oilcloths,  shoes,  and  many  new  things  for  the  army  ; 
such  as  medicines,  surgical  instruments,  fine  hospital  appli- 
ances and  nearly  everything  that  an  enormously  rich  govern- 
ment back  of  the  Invaders  (made  rich  largely  from  monies 
collected  from  the  invaded  country,  previous  to  hostilities) 
could  supply,  was  among  the  stores  Jackson’s  men  were  lug- 
ging down  the  Valley.  They  were  literally  making  off  with 
their  foe’s  wares,  regardless  of  any  sort  of  concern  or  regret. 

One  blessing  came  from  the  victory  over  the  Invaders, 
among  many  others,  and  that  was  the  capture  of  medicines. 
The  North  with  its  navy,  being  connected  directly  with 
all  foreign  countries,  put  up  a blockade,  early  in  the  war, 
against  all  medical  stores,  and  would  not  release  it,  for  the 
South  to  aid  in  administering  even  to  their,  the  North’s, 
wounded  and  sick  soldiers,  in  Southern  prisons.  Inhuman ! 

Old  people  in  the  South  that  were  non-combatants,  died 
for  lack  of  proper  medicine.  Helpless  women  and  children 
shared  the  same  fate  from  the  effects  of  this  uncivilized  block- 
ade on  medical  stores. 


Story  ok  Stonewali.  Jackson. 


03'" 


Jackson  lost  in  all  these  days  from  tlie  33d  to  the  31st  of 
May,  sixty  killed,  three  hundred  and  twenty-iiine  wounded, 
and  only  three  missing  (deserted  or  captured).  The  strag- 
gling among  Jackson’s  men  was  of  such  slight  extent  that  tlie 
matter  was  referred  to  in  the  report  of  the  Commanding  Gen- 
eral as  worthy  of  distinction  and  gratification. 

Fremont  and  Shields  were  gradually  tightening  the  lines, 
and  Jackson  saw  that  the  immediate  future  held  severe  work 
for  his  men,  as  these  two  generals  had  heavy  forces.  He  wrote 
to  Richmond  for  men, but  the  request  was,  as  usual, disregarded. 
He  wrote;  “I  have  not  fifteen  thousand  effective  men. 
If  the  present  opening  is  improved,  as  it  should  be,  I must 
have  FORTY  THOUSAND.”  (He  was  in  consequence  of 
this  refusal,  forced  to  fight  with  his  little  handful  of  men 
against  an  army  “grandly  equipped,”  consisting  of  sixty 
thousand. 

The  rout  Jackson’s  men  gave  the  Invaders  set  the  North  to 
a lively  guessing  task.  They  asked  on  all  sides,  “Where  is 
Jackson?”  “Has  Jackson  taken  Washington,”  etc.  ? Lincoln 
telegraphed  General  McClellan  to  dispatch  twenty  thousand 
more  men  to  Fremont  and  Shields  to  “capture  Jackson.”  He 
also  telegraphed  May  35,  these  words:  “Banks  ran  a race 
with  them,  beating  them  into  Winchester  yesterday  evening. 
This  morning  a battle  ensued  between  the  two  forces,  in  which 
Banks  was  beaten  back,  in  full  retreat,  towards  Martinsburg, 
and  probably  is  broken  up  in  a total  rout.” 

Jackson  had  an  aphorism — a favorite  one,  which  was : 
“NEVER  TAKE  COUNSEL  OF  YOUR  FEARS.” 
Lincoln  took  as  many  as  he  could  well  accomodate,  and  he 
and  his  secretary  of  war  and  the  whole  North,  were  on  racks 
of  fears.  One  was  telegraphing  McClellan  to  reinforce 
Fremont  and  Shields  and  send  more  troops  to  Washington  to 
protect  “the  Capital”;  the  other  telegraphing  the  govern- 
ors of  Northern  States  to  rush  all  the  troops  to  Washington, 
that  Banks  was  routed,  and  the  enemy  in  great  force  was  ad- 
vancing on  Washington.  As  a fact  at  that  very  time.  Jack- 
son  and  his  men  were  resting  from  their  battles  and  had  no 
“great  force”  to  advance  on  any  place.  Then  too,  these  ex- 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  357 

cited  gentlemen  had  orders  out  to  have  Fremont  rush  to 
Washington ; and  yet,  with  all  this  confusion,  Jackson  re- 
mained calm,  but  as  stated,  saw  great  danger  ahead.  He  pre- 
pared for  it  wisely.  Northern  newspaper  correspondents 
wrote  about  a trip  of  some  men  sent  to  “crush  Jackson,”  and  it 
is  worth  repeating  ; “Word  was  flashed  over  the  wires  from 
Washington  that  the  Philistines  were  upon  the  Congressional 
Sampsons,  and  we  were  summoned  to  the  rescue.  The  order 
from  the  war  department,  to  send  20,000  or  30,000  men  to 
assist  Banks  in  the  defense  of  Washington,  put  an  entirely 
new  face  on  matters,  and  knocked  up  the  plans  which  a month 
and  more  of  time  and  tnillions  of  mo7iey  had  been  spent  in 
procuring,  into  that  peculiarly  chaotic,  formless,  and  voidless 
shape,  popularly  known  and  described  as  a “cocked  hat.”  As 
AIcClellan  had  before  been  served,  so  now  was  AIcDowell. 

“At  Markham  Station,  besides  rheumatic  pains,  I encoun- 
tered Colonel  Ashby’s  house,  a deserted,  whitewashed  tene- 
ment, with  battered  walls  and  crumbling  staircases,  and 
smelling  strongly  of  secession  and  old  cheese.  (This  state- 
ment, like  many  others,  is  entirely  false  ; the  lamented  Ashby 
lived  in  a strong,  well  built  stone  house  on  a commanding 
hill,  and  the  house  is  to-day  in  excellent  condition ; and  the 
Ashbys,  at  the  time,  could  not  have  had  cheese ; and  as  for  the 
ott’ehsiveness  of  secession,  all  things  in  the  South  took  on  that 
odor  to  the  North. — Author). 

“At  Front  Royal  we  found  Major-general  McDowell  and 
several  minor  generals.  They  were  all  determined  upon  one 
thing — that  thing,  to  bag  Jackson,  and  recapture  the  immense 
train  he  took  from  Banks — for  you  must  know  that  Banks 
lost  over  tzvo  millions  of  dollars  of  property  a?zd,  it  is  said, 
several  thousatid  prisoners , and  it  had  been  determined  to  re- 
take all  the  national  gods  and  goods. 

“A  word  about  Blenker’s  division.’  With  all  respect  to 
General  Blenker  himself,  as  a German  and  a gentleman,  it 
comprises  as  lawless  a set  as  ever  pillaged  hen  roosts,  or  robbed 
dairy  maids  of  milk  and  butter. 

“I  saw  a company  of  them  gutting  the  cellar  of  a house, 
carrying  off  everything  eatable  and  drinkable,  and  only  re- 


35^  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

plying  to  the  earnest  remonstrance  of  the  widow  of  the  home 
and  the  representation  that  she  had  seven  children  to  feed, 
with  their  gutteral  ^nix  fur  stay'  ; and  two  infantry  captains 
bathed  their  yellow  beards  in  the  golden  cream,  and  were 
aiders  and  abettors,  in  fact,  the  overseers  and  directors  of  the 
larceny,  not  to  say  brutality.” 

Jackson  continued  his  march  and  contended  with  ambus- 
cades and  petty  annoyances  from  Fremont’s  men.  Once  a 
party  of  cavalry  after  dark,  as  Jackson’s  men  were  marching 
along  the  road,  dashed  up,  and  being  challenged,  said  they 
were  Ashby’s  men,  and  before  the  Southern  cavalry  could  de- 
tect the  falsehood,  they  were  being  shot  at  by  the  Invaders ; 
but  this  cost  the  Invaders  several  of  their  men,  and  they  were 
pursued  down  the  road  from  which  they  came.  Jackson  was 
very  indignant  and  ordered  that  any  further  attempts  of  the 
kind  should  be  severely  dealt  with. 

Fremont  was  in  the  main  or  Shenandoah  Valley,  while 
Shields  was  in  the  smaller  or  Page  Valley.  Signals  from 
Jackson’s  signal-corps,  on  the  mountain,  told  his  men,  that 
Shields  was  going  toward  Port  Republic  to  head  him  off,  but 
Jackson  went  on  direct  to  that  point.  His  object  was  to  keep 
Fremont  and  Shields  separated  until  he  could  strike  them, 
one  at  a time ; in  this  he  succeeded,  and  no  more  brilliant,  or 
bold  piece  of  strategy,  is  on  record.  Jackson  had  a very 
small  force  and  knew  his  salvation  was  to  keep  these  two 
large  Invader  forces  apart,  and  fight  each  separately.  Both 
were  after  him. 

Friday  morning  Jackson  had  left  the  vicinity  of  Harper’s 
Ferry.  He  had  by  Monday  morning,  June  2nd,  marched 
fully  sixty  miles  with  heavy  encumbrances  in  way  of  captured 
stores ; had  passed  Strasburg  and  by  his  bold  front  thrown 
General  McDowell  who  was  in  charge  of  one  of  the  armies 
trying  to  capture  him,  completely  off  his  track  ; had  in  reality 
passed  between  his  adversaries^  Fremont  and  McDowell  and 
kept  a sharp  lookout  on  Shields.  He  destroyed  bridges  as  he 
crossed  them,  and  thus  kept  his  adversaries  separated  and 
also  hampered  them.  Ashby’s  men  which  included  various 
cavalry  companies  kept  the  rear  closed. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson 


359 


On  the  6th  of  June  there  occurred  in  Jackson’s  army  that 
which  time  can  never  erase  from  history,  nor  brave  men  ever 
forget — the  death  of  Ashby  ! A certain  Englishman,  by  name 
of  Percy  Wyndham,  was  a colonel  in  the  Invaders’  army.  His 
boast  was  that  he  would  catch,  or  as  he  expressed  it,  ‘‘bag’’ 
Ashby.  Ashby  gave  himself  no  concern  as  to  Mr  Wyndham, 
as  he  had  seen  him  before.  Finally  the  imported  cavalier 
dashed  at  Ashby  and  his  men  with  his  well  equipped,  yellow 
tipped  cavalry. 

Ashby  met  the  charge,  as  was  his  practice,  square  on  the 
front,  and  took  the  would-be  capturer  and  sixty-three  of  his 
men  to  the  rear.  So  completely  cowed  was  Mr.  Percy — some 
said  he  was  Lord  or  Sir  Percy — that  he  could  scarcely  contain 
himself,  as  the  Southern  soldiers  would  jeer  him,  as  the  “Yan- 
kee” colonel.”  He  hated  to  be  called  “Yankee.”  (He  liked 
their  money  without  so  much  word). 

But  this  attack  on  Ashby  was  only  a forerunner  of  the  one 
that  cost  his  country  the  loss  of  one  of  its  greatest  soldiers  ; 
though  not  a disciplinarian  he  was  unsurpassed  in  valor.  He 
had  only  a few  days  before  been  appointed  a brigadier,  and 
was  an  officer  under  Jackson.  The  “Pennsylvania  Buck- 
tails”  for  a while  were  before  his  troops,  but  were  routed; 
‘they  fought  more  like  tigers  than  bucks’  but  his  horse  was  first 
shot  fromunder  him,  and  he  wounded,  died  almost  as  the  words, 
“Charge,  for  God’s  sake  charge!”  passed  from  his  lips. 

Jackson  felt  this  deeply.  The  loss  to  the  army  was  great, 
but  to  Jackson,  who  relied  on  Ashby  as  Lee  did  upon  Jackson, 
it  was  a personal  loss  ; and,  more  than  all,  Jackson  admired 
Ashby  as  an  able  and  fearless  soldier  and  a man  of  spotless 
character.  When  the  young  hero  lay  dead,  Jackson  went 
alone  to  the  room,  where  he  remained  for  some  time,  no  one 
being  present.  He  left  the  room  with  a sad  but  elevated 
countenance.  In  his  reports  he  spoke  of  Ashby  as  having  no 
superior  as  a partisan  officer. 

Jackson  was  on  the  south  side  of  the  Shenandoah — same 
side  with  General  Shields  and  the  Invaders’  army — and  the 
river  was  so  swollen  by  the  spring  rains,  that  it  seemed  they 
were  kept  up  as  if  by  special  Providence  to  keep  Fremont 


360  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

I 

from  getting  his  forces  united  with  Shields.  So  far  Jackson 
kept  them  apart. by  burning  bridges  and  fighting  their  ad- 
vance with  cavalry  and  checking  them.  There  was  a bridge 
that  Jackson  would  not  have  burned,  but  left  this  to  be  guard- 
ed by  General  Ewell’s  forces  against  surprise  from  Fremont, 
for,  in  his  audacity,  Jackson  intended  not  only  not  to  be 
captured  by  these  powerful  adversaries  but  to  fight  both  and 
drive  them  off. 

Sunday  morning,  June  8,  1862,  dawned  bright  and  clear. 
Those  who  had  been  favored  with  a visit  to  the  beautiful  val- 
leys of  the  Shenandoah  Rivers  (there  are  two  Shenandoah 
Rivers,  one  runs  on  the  north  side  of  the  Massanuttin  moun- 
tain and  the  other  on  the  south ; these  streams  are  called  re- 
spectively North  and  South  branch;  this  same  mountain  di- 
vides the  valley)  can  appreciate  a summer’s  day  in  these  hills 
and  dales. 

Preparations  were  being  made  for  religious  services  in  the 
camp,  and  the  wearied  troops  were  taking  a rest  and  enjoying 
the  beauties  of  their  surroundings,  when  as  a flash  from  a clear 
sky,  the  whole  command  was  surprised  to  witness  the  pickets 
come  rushing  in  with  the  cavalry  and  flying  artillery  of  the  In- 
vaders almost  at  their  heels. 

Jackson  had  hardly  time  to  mount  his  horse  and  gallop  for 
the  bridge  when  two  of  his  staff  that  started  with  him  were  cap- 
tured, and  kept  in  the  village.  Port  Republic.  These  captives 
saw  the  Invaders  prepare  to  capture  the  ammunition  wagon 
which  Jackson’s  men  had  ordered  off  for  a safer  position.  The 
alarm  of  war  spreads  like  the  alarm  of  fire  ; and  one  or  two  of 
our  officers  seeing  that  to  try  to  get  away  was  useless,  got  to- 
gether some  of  the  pickets,  and  as  the  enemy’s  cavalry  dashed 
after  the  ammunition  wagons,  they  were  met  with  a volley  of 
rifles,  and  next  by  cannon. 

The  situation  was  precarious  and  the  men  were  compelled 
to  fight  with  desperation  to  keep  the  Invaders  from  the  am- 
munition wagons,  and  they  held  them  until  Jackson,  who  had 
rushed  to  his  men  across  the  bridge,  had  ordered  the  long 
roll  beat  and  the  artillery  put  in  motion.  Commotion  was 
everywhere,  and  men  were  running  to  their  various  duties. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  361 

while  the  artillery  was  thundering  rapidly  at  the  Invaders 
across  the  river. 

Bear  in  mind,  the  main  forces  of  the  Defenders  were  across 
the  river  on  the  north  side,  and  the  enemy  held  the  bridge 
and  the  town  on  the  south  side.  Without  faltering,  Jackson 
ordered  the  men  to  fire  and  then  rush  over  the  bridge,  and 
charge  with  the  bayonet,  the  cannons  of  the  enemy ; with  one 
volley  the  gunners  were  swept  away,  and  the  Defenders,  with 
a deep,  long,  running  yell  dashed  through  the  narrow  bridge. 

Immediately  after  giving  this  bold  order  he  reined  in  his 
horse,  threw  the  bridle  line  over  the  neck  of  the  faithful  steed 
and  raising  his  hands  toward  the  heavens,  he  stood  with  a 
look  of  meekness  upon  his  face,  that  had  no  fire  of  battle  in  it, 
and  the  God  of  battle  heard  him.  What  might  have  been  a 
second  Lodi  was  prevented  by  the  swift  actions  and  indomi- 
table pluck  of  the  intrepid  Jackson  and  his  men,  early  in  the 
action.  Only  two  of  the  Defenders  were  wounded. 

At  the  bridge  this  remarkable  incident  is  related  by  a 
Northern  Journalist ; 

“Yesterday  I met  Captain  Robinson,  of  Robinson’s  Bat- 
tery, on  his  way  home  to  Portsmouth,  Ohio.  He  was  at  the 
battle  of  Port  Republic,  where  his  brother  lost  three  guns, 
was  wounded  and  made  prisoner.  Captain  Robinson,  who 
appears  to  be  a very  modest  and  veracious  man,  relates  that 
while  he  was  working  one  of  his  guns,  Stonewall  Jackson, 
whose  form  was  familiar  to  him,  came  within  hailing  dis- 
tance, and  standing  erect  in  his  stirrups,  beckoned  with  his 
hand  and  actually  ordered  him,  saying  ; 

“Bring  that  gun  over  here.”  Captain  Robinson  replied  by 
firing  three  shots  at  the  ubiquitous  Presbyterian,  but  with- 
out the  effect  of  even  scaring  him.  “I  might  have  known,” 
said  he,  “that  I could  not  hit  him.” 

“Captain  Robinson  is  utterly  at  a loss  to  explain  this  extra- 
ordinary demonstration  of  the  redoubtable  Stonewall.  Wheth- 
er he  mistook  him  for  one  of  his  own  men,  or  that  some  in- 
comprehensible ruse  was  involved  in  the  act,  he  does  not  pre- 
tend to  guess.  But  one  thing  he  does  know — that  Stonewall 
Jackson  is  the  great  man  of  the  war  and  that  our  troops  in  the 


362  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

valley  believe  him  to  be  as  humane  as  he  is  rapid  and  daring.” 

“Jackson  and  his  staff  had  not  recrossed  the  river,  and  were 
completely  cut  off.  His  army  was  on  the  north  side  of  the 
Shenandoah,  its  general  with  his  staff  on  the  south  side,  with 
the  enemy’s  cavalry  and  artillery  holding  the  only  avenue  of 
return  to  the  north  bank.  The  emergency  served  to  dis- 
play Jackson’s  nerve  and  presence  of  mind.  He  rode  toward 
the  bridge,  and,  rising  in  his  stirrups,  called  sternly  to  the 
Federal  officer,  commanding  the  artillery  placed  to  sweep  it, 
‘Who  ordered  you  to  post  that  gun  there,  sir?  Bring  it  over 
here!  ’ ” 

The  tone  of  these  words  were  so  assured  and  commanding, 
that  the  officer  did  not  imagine  they  would  be  uttered  by  any 
other  than  one  of  the  Federal  generals,  and  bowing,  he  lim- 
bered up  the  piece,  and  prepared  to  move.  Jackson  lost  no 
time  in  taking  advantage  of  the  opportunity.  He  put  spurs 
to  his  horse,  and  accompanied  by  his  staff,  crossed  the  bridge 
at  full  gallop,  followed  by  three  hasty  shots  from  the  artil- 
lery, which  had  been  hastily  unlimbered  and  turned  on  him. 
The  shots  were  too  late,  and  were  harmless.* 

The  following  appeared  in  the  Confederate  Veteran,  Nash- 
ville, Tenn.,  July,  1901  : 

STONEWALL  JACKSON  AT  PORT  REPUBLIC. 

BY  R.  S.  FORTSON,  SAN  ANTONIO,  TEX. 

I was  a member  of  Company  F,  Ninth  Louisiana  Volunteers,  and  was 
at  Port  Republic,  Va.,on  the  day  of  the  battle  between  Shields,  Federal 
commander,  and  Stonewall  Jackson,  Confederate.  Being  ill,  I was 
with  a small  number  of  other  sick  soldiers  ordered  to  cross  from  the 
north  side  of  the  river  Shenandoah  to  the  Port  Republic  side,  and  to  go 
in  the  direction  of  the  baggage  trains.  We  crossed  the  river  a little 
above  the  bridge  in  a small  boat,  after  which  most  of  the  men  went  di. 
rectly  toward  the  baggage  train,  while  I and  a comrade  named  Jones,  of 
the  same  company  turned  to  the  left  and  went  directly  to  the  pike. 
Upon  reaching  the  pike  we  saw  in  the  direction  of  the  bridge  that 
spanned  the  Shenandoah  River  three  or  four  Federal  soldiers  with  a 

*Note. — As  this  incident,  related  by  Cooke,  is  thoroughly  in 
keeping  with  Jackson’s  nerve  and  dash,  it  is  not  in  exact  accord  with 
other  accounts  of  his  movements  that  morning,  and  must  refer  to  his 
crossing  the  river  when  going  for  reinforcements,  instead  of  returning 
for  the  general  battle. — Author. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


363 


cannon  at  the  south  entrance  of  the  bridge,  only  seventy-five  or  one 
hundred  yards  from  us,  and  pointing  toward  where  we  were.  We 
started  to  run,  when  we  saw  General  Jackson  alone  coming  down  the 
pike  at  a gallop.  He  had  on  his  old  brown  cap,  but  wore  a United 
States  army  overcoat.  He  rode  by  us,  passing  within  ten  feet  of  us,  in 
het  direction  of  the  cannon  above  referred  to.  I heard  him  say:  “Who 
ordered  you  to  put  that  gun  there.?  Move  it  down;  don’t  you  see  the 
enemy  over  yonder.?”  pointing  to  our  troops  on  the  north  side  of  the 
river  and  also  pointing  to  a level  place  a little  below  the  bridge.  The 
Yankees  (as  we  then  called  them)  at  once  removed  the  gun  to  the  place 
indicated  by  General  Jackson,  who  immediately  rode  through  the 
bridge  as  fast  as  his  horse  could  carry  him,  and  waved  his  cap  to  his 
men  as  soon  as  he  got  where  they  could  see  him.  They  moved  at  a 
double-quick  toward  the  bridge,  firing  as  they  went,  and  soon  drove 
the  gunners  and  other  soldiers  away  from  the  bridge,  and  he  marched 
his  army  right  on.  There  were  other  Federal  troops  in  sight  down  the 
river.  I knew  General  Jackson  by  sight  perfectly,  and  cannot  be  mis- 
taken. 

4S-  * * * » 

Once  over  the  river,  the  Defenders  turned  cannons  and 
rifles  upon  the  enemy  with  furious  fire,  and  ran  them  from 
Port  Republic.  Shields’s  infantry  was  coming  up  t6  reinforce, 
but  it  was  too  late,  they  could  not  stand  Jackson’s  “foot  artil- 
lery,” and  the  novel  sight  of  cannons,  “firing  on  the  run,” 
was  too  much  for  them  and  they  fled  under  the  fearful  slaugh- 
ter of  the  Defenders. 

Jackson’s  plans  were  carried  out  to  a fine  finish,  and  Shields 
was  forced  into  a position,  where  he  could  not  join  Fremont. 
Had  he  attempted  to  do  so,  Jackson’s  artillery  on  both  sides 
would  have  destroyed  him  completely,  Jackson  himself  ex- 
pressed it  “iVo,  sir!  No!  He  can  not  do  it;  I should  tear 
him  to  pieces !’’’’  Shields  did  not  attempt  such  a reckless 
and  foolhardy  project. 

In  the  battles  of  Port  Republic  and  Cross  Keys  were  men 
from  nearly  every  Southern  State,  and  it  would  be  a pleasure, 
had  we  the  space,  to  recount  in  these  pages,  or  repeat,  rather, 
the  many  acts  of  bravery,  sacrifice  and  fortitude  exhibited 
by  them  in  each  company  or  command.  Many  of  the  troops 
had  never  before  seen  mountains ; were  unaccustomed  to  the 
exertion  of  mountain  climbing  and  the  climate,  which  was  at 
times,  almost  rigorous ; but  they  fought  as  if  on  their  native 


364  Story  of  Stoxewall  Jackson. 

heath,  and,  certainly,  on  the  soil  upon  which  their  forefather^ 
had  fought  for  American  Independence.  The  Jackson  men 
fought  these  battles  for  independence^  not  “freedom.” 
They  were  already  free. 

We  cannot  imagine  where  the  sentiment  of  that  song  of  the 
Invaders’s  entitled  '"Shout  in  the  battle  for  your  freedo?nf 
found  its  origin.  Whose  “freedom”  was  threatened?  It  seems 
to  us  a parody.  The  South  had  not  in  the  least,  disturbed  the 
freedoj7i  of  any  other  section. 

It  is  more  than  painful  to  hear  this  musical  misnomer  in  in- 
strumental or  vocal  form.  Quite  as  unpleasant  to  hear,  as 
Sherman’s  musical  triumph  "Marching  through  Georgia-'^ 
(a  march  that  should  bring  a blush  of  shame  to  every  man  en- 
gaged in  it).  Marching  against  old  men,  women  and  children, 
without  any  possible  chance  of  armed  resistance,  is  hardly 
enough  of  war’s  achievement,  to  inspire  a poet  or  musician ! 
Probably  the  sense  of  satisfaction  6r  safety  originated  the  mar- 
tial parasite.  This  “piece  of  music”  should  be  debarred  from 
every  school  in  the  United  States.  It  is  liable  to  teach  the 
boys  to  fight  girls;  and  this  is  wrong.  We  have  heard  gray- 
haired Southerners  say;  “There  is  nothing  pretty  about  it 
anyway.” 

Fremont  not  expecting  the  turn  matters  had  taken,  swept 
down  on  General  Ewell’s  little  army,  and  would  have  crushed 
it,  but  he  ran  against  some  of  the  best  troops  the  South  had 
ever  sent  to  the  field.  At  about  ten  o’clock  the  battle  began, 
and  about  noon  Jackson  reached  the  field.  He,  at  a glance, 
saw  hard  fighting,  and  with  that  quick  mind  and  rapid  man- 
ner of  reaching  conclusions,  while  under  the  strain  of  battle, 
he  went  with  vim  to  the  aid  of  Ewell. 

The  masterful  strokes  were  too  much  for  the  enemy,  who 
though  having  a superior  force  was,  by  sundown,  ready  to 
quit  the  field.  The  engagement  had  been  in  some  respects 
severe  ; it  began  at  ten  o’clock  and  by  noon  Jackson  went 
over  the  river  to  the  scene  of  the  battle  and  remained  on  the 
field  until  night,  when,  as  there  was  no  fighting  to  do,  he  re- 
quested Ewell  to  come  to  his  headquarters  that  night,  and  left. 


The  Lord’s  Supper.  — (Only  IiiPtiince  in  History  of  its  Celeiiraticjn  in  Camp). 


IJattle  of  Frazier’s  Farm,  June  30,  1S62.  (One  of  the  7 days  I)attles  around  Riehinond. 
(From  “Confederate  Soldier  in  the  Civil  War,’’) 


(2o) 


Charge  of  the  Confederates  on  Randol’s  battery. 
Copyright  by  the  Century  Co.,  1SS5. 


Union  retreat  from  the  Chickahominy.  (Before  Jackson’s  force.) 

Copyright  i$S5  by  the  Centura  Co. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson  369 

Jackson  did  not  think  he  had  as  effectually  defeated  Fremont 
as  that  general  considered  himself  defeated. 

He  had  reported  to  Washington  that  he  was  overwhelmed  by 
a superior  force,  which  is  a mistake,  as  Fremont  had  18,000 
and  Ewell  less  than  6,000;  and  the  numbers  actually  in  the 
fight  were  in  about  the  same  proportion.  But  it  is  well  to 
tell  these  things  when  an  officer  has  failed  in  his  efforts ; at 
least  some  seem  to  think  so,  if  the  reports  on  file  in  Washing- 
ton, be  read  and  compared  with  the  truth. 

The  night  was  calm  and  the  moon  shone  in  all  its  glory. 
Under  the  effulgent  rays  Jackson  was  superintending  the 
building  of  a bridge  made  of  planks,  put  on  the  running  gear 
of  wagons  and  the  wagons  were  drawn  into  the  river  and  the 
planks  placed  upon  them.  A novel  bridge,  but  better  than 
wading  the  river.  This  “wagon-bridge”  was  at  the  lower 
ford. 

At  two  o’clock  in  the  morning  Jackson  was  at  work  on  his 
plan  to  finish  up  Shields  next  day,  for  he  thought  Fremont  was 
merely  stunned,  and  he,  therefore  must  drive  Shields  far  out  of 
reach.  An  officer  came  to  Jackson  and  was  given  directions 
to  the  effect  that  five  hours  were  to  be  devoted  to  getting 
Shields  out  of  the  way,  and  the  work  was  done  within  the 
five  hours. 

Port  Repulic  battle  is  claimed  to  be  one  of  the  most  spirited 
and  swift  engagements  of  the  war.  It  was  not  a great  battle 
in  the  sense  of  numbers  engaged,  but  the  rapid  motion,  strategy, 
courage  and  endurance  of  the  officers  and  men  were  of 
great  value.  Both  sides  lost  no  time  or  energy  in  fighting  and 
contested  bravely.  Shields  personally,  it  is  said,  was  only  fif- 
teen miles  in  the  rear  of  the  fight,  but  his  next  officer.  Genera! 
Tyler,  (who  was  no  doubt  the  proper  man  to  be  in  actual  com- 
mand), did  good  service;  he  gavejthe  Defenders  “a  hot  fight,” 
and  but  for  that  same  spirit  that  under  all  circumstances  held 
these  iron-nerved  and  strong-hearted  Southerners  to  the  steel 
and  bullets  of  their  foe,  the  day  would  have  been  Tyler’s. 
The  loss  was  severe  on  both  sides,  but  the  battle  belonged  to 
the  Defenders, 

Some  scenes  occurred 'that  dav  which  should  forever  shame 


370  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

all  connected  with  or  were  responsible  for  the  same.  While 
Jackson’s  men  were  caring  for  the  sick  and  wounded,  includ- 
ing the  men  of  the  enemy  as  well — those  who  had  fallen  into 
the  hands  of  the  Defenders — they  were  fired  upon,  and,  in 
spite  of  the  surgeons’  yellow  flags  which  were  in  distinct  view 
of  the  Invaders,  Rev.  Mr.  Cameron,  of  Maryland,  chaplain 
of  the  First  Maryland  Regiment,  with  prayer-book  in  hand, 
was  standing  near  a row  of  graves  or  ditch,  in  which  the  dead 
were  to  be  placed,  when  Fi'emont's  men  fired  shells  among  the 
funeral  gathering  assembled  to  perform  the  last  rites  over  dead 
comrades  and  enemy  as  well. 

It  has  been  stated  that  the  reason  for  this  inhuman  treat- 
ment of  the  surgeons  and  chaplains,  firing  shells  into  their 
midst,  was  done  for  the  purpose  of  inducing  Jackson  to  ask  for 
a flag  of  truce  that  he  might  properly  attend  to  his  wounded 
and  dead.  And  had  the  design  succeeded,  then  the  Invader 
commander  would  telegraph  his  government  that  Jackson  was 
forced  to  ask  a flag  of  truce,  and  therefore,  the  day  was  his, 
Fremont’s.  But  if  any  such  scheme  actuated  the  enemy,  it 
■did  not  work;  and  Fremont  was  compelled  to  adopt  other 
•plans  for  reporting  as  the  battle  was  unquestionaby  won  by  the 
Defenders. 

Had  Jackson  not  been  too  shrewd  for  such  a scheme,  he 
mirrht  have  been  entrapped  into  the  trick  ; as  it  was  not  done, 
all  the  commander  of  the  Invader  army  could  do  was  to  tele- 
graph Washington  the  next  possible  ruse,  and  he  wired  that 
he  had  been  overpowered  by  the  vast  numbei's  of  the  enemy. 
This  same  officer  left  his  sick,  wounded  and  his  surgeons 
at  Harrisonburg,  to  the  mercjr  of  the  Defenders — the  fate  of 
his  adversaries — but  these  adversaries  did  not  shell  these  poor 
unfortunate  men  ; they  were  cared  for,  and  not  molested.  The 
abuses  of  this  nature  were  not  the  rule  among  the  Federal 
commanders,  but  the  exceptions  were,  nevertheless,  most 
diabolical,  and  should  be  exposed.  We  here  give  the  report 
of  Dr.  Tebault,  of  New  Orleans,  surgeon-general  of  the 
L'nited  Confederate  Veterans,  showing  the  sentiment  of  these 
men  of  mercy,  and  calling  attention  to  a duty  due  their  com- 
rades, dead  and  living.  We  sincerely  hope  that  the  surgeons 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  371 

of  the  Southern  armies  will  have  their  war  services  written 
carefully  and  exhaustively. 

Office  of  Surgeon-General,  United  Confederate  Veterans, 
623  North  Lafayette  Square, 

New  Orleans,  La.,  June  30,  1898. 

To  the  Survivors  of  the  Medical  Corps  of  the  Armj'  and  Navy  of  the 
Confederate  States; 

Comrades:  The  eighth  annual  reunion  of  the  United  Confederate 
Veterans  will  take  place  on  the  20th,  21st,  22d  and  23d  of  July,  1898,  at 
Atlanta,  Ga. — that  historic,  patriotic  Southern  city  which  was  subjected 
to  the  torch  after  being  captured  by  the  Federal  army  under  General 
Sherman,  her  helpless  women  and  children  and  non-combatants  made 
homeless  and  sheltered  by  refugees,  in  a land  scarred  and  desolated  by 
more  than  two  thousand  hard  fought,  bloody  battlefields,  and  whose 
territory,  almost  to  a foot,  had  felt  the  thunderbolts  of  a most  cruel 
and  destructive  war.  The  great  majority  not  only  of  the  patient  and 
patriotic  and  humane  surgeons  constituting  that  peerless  medical  corps, 
but  the  great  majority  likewise  of  the  pure  and  valiant  men  comprising 
all  the  other  great  departments  of  the  Confederate  government  and  its 
matchless  army  and  navy,  have  preceded  u*  across  the  river  of  Time, 
and  are  now  resting  “under  the  shade  of  the  trees,”  awaiting  our  coming 
on  the  eternal  plains  in  the  vast  impenetrable  Beyond. 

As  survivors  of  that  Christian-hearted,  distinguished  corps  of  Con- 
federate surgeons  who  knew  no  enemy  in  their  professional  work,  is 
there  not  a high  and  pressing  important  duty  remaining  to  be  done,  and 
due,  not  less  to  ourselves  than  to  our  departed  and  immortal  comrades 
of  the  same  service — a responsible  duty  to  collect  and  systematize  for 
reference,  the  correct  professional  facts  relating  to  our  work  in  field 
and  hospital  and  military  prison  in  connection  with  the  unequaled 
world-wide  involving  Southern  Constitutional  Cause  that  the  coming 
historian  may  with  readiness  and  with  truthfulness  record  them  for  the 
future  generations  to  read  and  appreciate? 

For  the  first  time,  Jackson  saw  on  this  day,  when  returning 
from  the  pursuit  of  the  enemy,  the  explosive  rifle  balls.  In 
these  balls  is  a hollow  space  at  the  end,  in  which  is  placed  ful- 
minating powder,  intended  to  explode  if  touched  by  the  sur- 
geon’s probe,  when  searching  for  the  bulletin  wounds.  Can 
any  implement  of  warfare  be  more  wicked  or  cruel?  Or  is 
anything,  and  everything  fair  in  war? 

Shields  was  surely  out  of  the  way,  and  the  first  blow  had 
been  given  in  the  most  masterful  punishment  probably,  in  his- 
tory, touching  military  experience  namely  ; Jackson’s  defeat 


37^  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

of  two  great  armies,  that  had  him  pinned  in,  with  vastly  su- 
perior forces ! 

Jackson  with  his  men,  were  taking  short  snatches  of  uneasy 
rest,  when  the  scouts  came  in  during  the  night,  or  rather  very 
early  in  the  morning,  on  the  tenth,  reporting  that  Fremont 
was  having  timber  brought  to  the  river.  This  was  accepted 
as  meaning  the  building  of  a bridge,  to  be  placed  where 
Ewell  had  burned  the  old  bridge,  when  he  came  over  with 
his  men  to  join  Jackson. 

The  burning  of  that  bridge,  by  Ewell,  was  not  a trifling 
act,  in  its  strategic  bearing ; when  a bridge  is  burnt  be- 
hind an  army,  it  is  usually  done  when  there  is  no  enemy’s 
army  in  front,  but  a great  deal  of  the  enemy,  behind.  In  this 
instance,  there  was  an  enemy,  and  a vast  one,  in  front  and  be- 
hind also.  It  was,  like  all  Jackson’s  acts,  done  under  what 
men  have  nearly  concluded,  was  inspiration  on  the  part  of  the 
Master  of  Armies ! 

Fremont  contenting  himself  with  a make-believe,  as  far  as 
bridge-building  was  concerned,  was  suddenly  smitten  with 
the  impression  that  if  Shields  was  so  completely  routed  there 
was  nothing  to  prevent  his  meeting  such  or  alike  fate,  and  this 
with  the  repulse  on  the  eighth,  would  be  difficult  to  explain  to 
the  Washington  authorities,  so  he  went  on  toward  Harrison- 
burg. 

He  was  followed  as  far  as  Harrisonburg,  and  when  he  heard 
the  enemy,  which  proved  to  be  only  a band  of  cavalry,  he  ran  ; 
and  as  related  herein,  left  his  sick  and  wounded  and  all  the 
hospital  outfit  in  Harrisonburg.  Counting  the  prisoners  and 
the  sick  at  Harrisonburg,  his  loss  was  over  nine  hundred,  and 
this  does  not  include  the  loss  by  death.  He  also  lost  nine 
field  pieces,  cannons,  over  a thousand  small  arms  of  the  most 
recent  makes,  and  other  valuable  supplies. 

These  accumulations  were  trifles  to  the  results  of  the  victory 
over  both  Fremont  and  Shields.  For  Jackson  and  his  men 
had  again  held  the  Invader  hosts  off  Richmond  by  diverting 
them  and  breaking  into  all  plans  at  Washington.  He  had 
out-generaled  every  Invader  leader  sent  against  him,  while  his 
men  had  covered  their  arms  with  eternal  fame.  Jackson  lost 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson, 


373 


one  piece  of  artillery,  because  he  had  no  horses  with  which  to 
move  it,  but  not  a man  was  lost  by  capture  in  the  three  bat- 
tles. His  loss  was  1,173  5 the  Invaders  lost  1,775, 

counting  their  loss  in  wounded  and  prisoners  about  900. 

In  fifteen  days  Jackson  had  moved  over  a hundred  miles 
with  a little  army  of  less  than  17,000;  been  constantly  men- 
aced by  two  armies  of  nearly  three  times  the  size  of  his,  one 
on  one  side  and  one  on  the  other,  and  either  with  proper 
energy  or  skill  could,  had  they  been  like  his  men,  have  routed 
him  “fore  and  aft.” 

In  forty  days  he  had  marched  four  hundred  miles,  fought 
four  regular  pitched  battles,  innumerable  skirmishes  and 
combats ; defeated  four  artnies  and  their  generals.  Banks, 
Shields,  Milroy,  Fremont  with  Blenker,  Sigel,  Stienwehr, 
Schenck  and  others.  He  had  sent  4000  prisoners  to  the  rear, 
and  delivered  on  parole  over  a thousand  more,  and  inflicting 
a loss  by  death  and  wounds  of  likely  6000.  He  had  captured 
over  three  millions  of  dollars  worth  of  stores  and  property 
from  the  enemy,  besides  having  rendered  McClellan  powerless, 
and  driven  dismay  and  terror  to  every  part  of  the  North  and 
almost  paralyzed  the  government  at  Washington. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

JACKSON  AND  HIS  MEN  CELEBRATE  THE  LORd’s  SUPPER 

FIRST  INSTANCE  IN  HISTORY  OF  ITS  CELEBRATION  IN 

CAMP OFFICIALLY  DESIGNATES  HIS  FOE 

AS  INVADERS. 

Let  US  look  at  this  humble  Christian  soldier,  as  he  is  resting 
a day  or  so  with  his  men  after  their  agony  of  war  and  the  loss 
of  many  dear  comrades  left  for  ever  in  the  soil  of  Virginia.  We 
find  him,  after  two  days  rain,  on  the  plains  of  Mount  Meri- 
dian, not  far  from  Brown’s  gap  and  the  scenes  of  the  bloody 
Port  Republic  and  Cross  Keys. 

For  five  days,  his  little  army  remained  at  this  beautiful  spot 
bathing  in  the  sparkling  Shenandoah,  resting  while  they  did 
their  sewing  and  a hundred  other  little  odd  things  which  they 
had  been  compelled  to  neglect  while  on  the  constant  march 
and  fight. 

On  the  following  Saturday,  Jackson  had  divine  service  in 
his  army,  and  all  attended.  A striking  feature  of  this  season 
of  rest  was  the  administration  of  the  Lord’s  Supper  on  Sunday, 
June  15.  This  must  have  been  an  imposing  scene.  There  in 
the  woods,  the  ministers  of  the  gospel,  army  chaplains,  passing 
among  the  war-stained  veterans,  handing  them  the  chalice 
and  patin.  Jackson  took  an  humble  place,  and  partook  of 
the  sacramental  feast  as  a private  soldier. 

On  the  thirteenth,  he  issued  this  order  to  his  army  : “The 
fortitude  of  the  troops  under  fatigue,  and  their  valor  in  action, 
have  again,  under  the  blessing  of  Divine  Providenoe,  placed 
it  in  the  power  of  the  commanding-general  to  congratulate 
them  upon  the  victories  of  June  8 and  9.  Beset  on  both  flanks 
by  two  boastful  armies,  you  have  escaped  their  toils,  inflict- 
ing successively,  crushing  blows  upon  each  of  your  pursuers. 

Let  a few  more  such  efforts  be  made,  and  you  may  confidently 
hope  that  our  beautiful  valley  will  be  cleansed  from  the  pol- 
lution of  the  Invaders’  presence.  The  major-general  command- 
ing invites  you  to  observe  to-morrow,  June  14,  (^Saturday') 

from  3 o’clock  p.  M.,  as  a season  of  thanksgiving,  by  a sus- 
374 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  375 

pension  of  all  military  exercises  and  by  holding  divine  ser- 
vice in  the  sevei'al  regiments.” 

A few  days  after  this,  he  writes  his  wife  that  his  army  is 
stationed  near  one  of  those  wonderful  caves  for  which  the  val- 
ley is  famous.  The  cave  is  called  Weyer’s,  and  is  not  far  from 
the  celebrated  Luray  cave.  Jackson  wrote  that  every  time  he 
looked  in  the  direction  of  the  cave,  he  was  sadly  reminded  of 
her,  as  they  had  visited  the  cave  together  when  living  in  their 
happy  home  in  Lexington  not  far  away. 

He  finished  his  letter  which  was  full  of  gentleness  and 
^thoughts  of  their  eternal  welfare,  by  saying,  “Would’nt  you 
like  to  get  home  again.?”  His  mind  dwelt  on  peace,  hut  death 
■was  to  be  preferred  as  he  expressed  it,  to  peace  'without  honor 
and  independence. 

Had  he  lived,  there  would  have  been  peace,  not  only  in 
America,  but  throughout  all  the  world.  Jackson  had  plans 
that  would  have  resulted  in  the  Christian  people  ruling  the  af- 
fairs of  this  earth. 

Louisiana  “Tigers,”  the  troops  under  General  Taylor  de- 
serve especial  mention  for  their  charge  at  Port  Republic. 
Jackson  heard  the  cheers  of  the  Invaders  as  their'splendid  ar- 
tillery threw  their  iron  against  his  men ; he  could  not  endure 
this  and  galloping  up  to  General  Taylor  said  ; “Can  you  take 
that  battery?  It  must  be  taken.”  General  Taylor  galloped 
back  to  his  brigade,  and  pointing  his  sword  to  the  enemy’s 
battery  on  the  hill,  called  out  in  a voice  loud  and  clear, 
“Louisianians!  Can  you  take  that  battery?”  With  a yell 
they  sprang  to  the  charge.  It  was  a desperate  thing  to  un- 
dertake, but  they  ran  down  the  hill  covered  with  tangled  un- 
dergrowth, across  the  meadow  and  up  the  mountain  in 
the  front  of  a deadly  fire,  described  as  being  very  rapid  and 
angry.  They  were  mowed  down  by  the  grape,  shell  and  can- 
ister, but  they  went  on,  true  to  their  organization  name,  like 
tigers  indeed.  Behind  the  cannons  were  heavy  bodies  of  in- 
fantry, and  these  men  poured  their  bullets  into  the  ranks  of 
the  “Tigers.”  Officers  and  men  went  down  under  the  fire. 
Out  of  three  hundred  and  eight  men  in  the  charge,  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty-eight  were  killed  or  wounded,  but  on  they  went 


376  Story  of  Stonevvalr  Jackson. 

yelling  and  firing  until  they  literally  took  the  guns  from  the 
hands  of  the  Invaders,  and  then  as  they  ran,  turned  their  own 
guns  upon  them  with  terrible  slaughter. 

Fresh  brigades  were  sent  to  recapture  the  guns,  and  the 
Tigers  with  the  Third  Virginia  Regiment  had  to  give  way  , but 
they  charged  again  and  finally  got  the  guns  back  from  the  In- 
vaders, and  kept  them  pouring  a deadly  fire  into  their  routed 
forces. 

The  battle  surged  with  varying  fate  around  this  spot,  but 
finally  the  Defenders  after  terrible  fighting  won  the  day  and 
Shields  was  forced  to  retreat,  being  defeated. 

Jackson  sent  the  following  modest  dispatch  to  Richmond  ; 

Near  Port  Republic,  June  9th,  via  Staunton,  June  loth. 

Through  God’s  blessing  the  enemy  near  Port  Republic  was  this  day 
routed  with  loss  of  six  pieces  of  his  artillery. 

T.  J.  Jackson, 

Major-General  Commanding. 

Over  thirty  years  ago  a talented  writer  of  many  books  upon 
the  war,  the  lamented  John  Esten  Cooke,  said;  “This  cam- 
paign, April  to  June,  made  the  fame  of  Jackson  as  a com- 
mander. . . Jackson’s  Campaign  of  the  Valley  will  al- 

ways attract  the  attention  of  military  men,  and  be  studied  by 
them  as  a great  practical  exposition  of  the  art  of  making 
war.”  , 

“The  swift  and  sudden  marches,  the  rapid  advances  and 
successful  retreats,  the  obstinate  refusal  to  fight  on  some  oc- 
casions and  his  furious  and  almost  reckless  onslaughts  on 
others ; his  far-seeing  generalship,  his  prudent  boldness,  and 
that  indomitable  resolution  and  tenacity  of  purpose  which  no 
storm  could  shake.” 

His  country  had  already  begun  to  look  upon  him  as  a “Man 
of  Fate,”  a tower  of  strength.  His  victories  ever  brought  to 
the  failing  heart  of  his  country,  new  life.  Scarcely  had  he 
rested  from  his  labors  and  successes  in  the  mountains,  before 
he  was  called  to  a broader  field  of  action.  And  yet,  by  some 
ungenerous  element  in  the  government,  he  was  never  given 
the  honor  and  distinction  he  so  richly  deserved. 

No  other  general  had  shown  the  skill  and  genius  of  Jack- 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


377 


son.  He  had  invariably  won  his  battles.  He  defeated  three 
generals  in  detail  with  their  three  armies  amounting  to  sixty 
thousand,  and  did  this  with  less  than  a fourth  as  many  men 
and  with  arms,  supplies,  even  food  for  the  men  and  outfits  far 
inferior  in  every  way  to  his  foes’  equipments. 

While  his  army  on  one  occasion  was  resting  from  a long 
march,  two  sentinels  on  duty  out  in  a steady  rain  were  com- 
plaining of  the  hardships  of  soldier  life,  when  one  of  them 
said;  “I  wish  the  Yankees  were  in  h — .”  “I  don’t,”  said 
the  other.  “Why  not?”  “Because,  if  they  were,  ‘Old  Jack’ 
would  have  his  pickets  at  the  mouth  of  that  place  before  sun- 
up to-morrow.”  His  troops  said  of  him,  “he  is  easy  on  us 
when  our  backs  are  to  the  ‘Yanks,’  but  look  out  when  he 
turns  our  faces  to  ’em.  It’s  long-step  then,  night  and  day!” 

Fremont  spoke  officially  of  the  battles  of  Port  Republic  and 
Cross  Keys  as  a “significant  demonstration  of  the  enemy.” 
The  “demonstration”  sent  him  whirling  down  the  valley  and 
put  him  in  touch  with  Shields,  Banks,  and  Sigel.  The 
meeting  and  greetings  of  this  dismayed  and  chagrined  body 
of  commanders  must  have  been  pathetic.  Likely  Jackson  and 
his  wasps  were  referred  to  feelingly. 

On  the  loth  of  June,  Jackson  sent  to  his  wife  this  modest 
telegram,  and  also  wrote  her  ; “After  a hotly  contested  field 
from  6 to  10.30  a.  m.,  completely  routed  the  enemy,  who  lost 
eight  pieces  of  artillery  during  the  two  days.  God  has  been 
our  shield  and  to  His  name  be  all  the  glory.  How  I do  wish 
for  feace^  but  only  upon  condition  of  our  national  independ- 
ence.” 

We  notice  that  Jackson  frequently  in  his  telegraphic  reports 
to  Richmond  and  even  in  his  letters,  refers  to  the  number  of 
pieces  of  artillery  lost  by  the  enemy  and  seldom  refers  to  cap- 
ture of  men  or  results.  It  is  possible,  that  he  like  Napoleon, 
laid  great  store  by  artillery,  also  he  was  always  an  artil- 
lerist, and  knew  what  it  costs  to  capture  artillery  by  the  cour- 
age and  loss  of  life  involved  in  its  capture.  As  he  never  used 
idle  expressions,  his  frequent  reference  to  captured^  artillery 
has  a meaning. 

A northern  writer  said  of  him  : “Jackson  moves  infantrv 


378  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

with  the  celerity  of  cavalry.  His  men  always  said,  ‘Jackson 
moves  at  ‘early  dawn’  except  when  he  started  the  night  before  ! ’ 
But  despite  all  these  ‘hardships,  fatigues  and  dangers’  a more 
cheerful,  genial,  jolly  set  could  not  be  found  than  these  men 
in  gray.” 

A Federal  prisoner  once  remarked,  “I  believe  if  old  Jack- 
son  was  to  point  out  some  artillery  and  gun  blankets  on  the 
other  side  of  hell,  you  fellows  would  wade  through  its  fires  to 
capture  them.” 

Among  the  jokes  of  Jackson’s  men — and  we  have  all  heard 
soldiers  joke — was  the  dubbing  General  Banks  ‘‘Old  Jack’s 
Commissary,”  because  he  captured  so  much  from  this  officer 
who  complained  that  his  government  “sacrificed  him”  (giving 
no  credit  to  Jackson’s  men  for  aiding  in  the  sacrifice).  When 
Jackson  got  after  Banks  the  men  would  say:  “Lee  is  out  of 
rations  and  is  sending  ‘Old  Jack’  after  Banks.” 

General  Ewell’s  name  will  live  among  the  generals  of 
America,  and,  in  the  South.  Sons  and  daughters  of  men  who 
were  with  him,  Jackson,  Ashby,  Winder,  Taliaferro,  Stewart, 
Taylor  and  many  other  knights  of  the  South,  will  remember 
the  days  of  their  fathers  in  the  “Valley  Campaign”  then  about 
to  close,  as  Jackson’s  men  were  wanted  to  save  Richmond. 

Once  a gentleman  asked  Ewell  what  he  thought  of  Jackson’s 
generalship,  he  replied:  “Well,  sir,  when  I first  commenced 
I thought  him  crazy;  before  I ended,  I thought  him  inspired.” 
Generals  Ewell  and  A.  P.  Hill  went  to  Jackson’s  tent  one 
night  just  before  a great  battle  was  to  be  fought ; General 
Ewell  left  his  sword  at  Jackson’s  tent  and  went  back  after 
it,  and  just  as  General  Hill  predicted,  he  found  Jackson  pray- 
ing, calling  on  the  Lord  for  guidance  in  the  coming  struggle. 

General  Ewell  when  he  joined  General  Hill  related  the  scene 
he  had  just  witnessed,  and  added,  “If  that  is  religion  I must 
have  it,”  and  not  long  after  he  became  a devout  follower  of  the 
Saviour,  and  he  said  it  all  came  of  Jackson’s  influence.  Be- 
fore that  time  General  Ewell  had  been  very  profane. 

Jackson’s  servant,  Jim,  a faithful  One  to  the  end,  like  all 
body-servants,  found  out  all  about  his  master’s  habits.  He 
said:  “The  General  is  a great  man  for  praying — night  and 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


379 


morning — all  times.  But  when  I see  him  get  up  in  the  night 
to  go  off  and  pray,  then  I know  there  is  going  to  be  something 
to  pay  \ then  I go  right  straight  and  pack  his  haversack,  be- 
cause I know  he  will  be  calling  for  it  before  day.” 

STONEWALL  JACKSON’S  WAY. 

“ Come,  stack  arms,  men;  pile  on  the  rails; 

Stir  up  the  camp-fires  bright, 

No  matter  if  the  canteen  fails. 

We’ll  make  a roaring  night. 

Here  Shenandoah  brawls  along. 

There  lofty  Blue  Ridge  echoes  strong. 

To  swell  the  brigade’s  roaring  song 
Of  Stonewall  Jackson’s  way. 

“ We  see  him  now — the  old  slouched  hat, 

Cocked  o’er  his  ej^e  askew ; 

The  shrewd,  dry  smile,  the  speech  so  pat. 

So  calm,  so  blunt,  so  true. 

The  ‘Blue-light  Elder’  knows  them  well; 

Says  he,  ‘That’s  Banks — he’s  fond  of  shell'; 

Lord  save  his  soul ! wee’ll  give  him’ — well 
That’s  Stonewall  Jackson’s  way. 

“Silence!  Ground  arms ! Kneelall!  CapsoffI 
Old  ‘Blue-light’s’  going  to  pray; 

Strangle  the  fool  that  dares  to  scoff ! 

Attention  ! It’s  his  way  ! 

Appealing  from  his  native  sod. 

In  for  ma  pauperis  to  God; 

‘Lay  bare  thine  arm,  stretch  forth  thy  rod. 

Amen!’  That’s  Stonewall’s  way. 

“ He’s  in  the  saddle  now!  Fall  in! 

Steady,  the  whole  brigade  ! 

Hill’s  at  the  Ford,  cutoff!  We’ll  win 
His  way  out,  ball  and  blade. 

What  matter  if  our  shoes  are  worn? 

What  matter  if  our  feet  are  torn  ? 

Quick  step ! we’re  with  him  before  morn. 

That’s  Stonewall  Jackson’s  way. 

" The  sun’s  bright  lances  rout  the  mists 
Of  morning — and  by  George  ! 

There’s  Longstreet  struggling  in  the  lists. 

Hemmed  in  an  ugly  gorge. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

Pope  and  his  columns  whipped  before — 
‘Bayonets  and  grape!’ — hear  Stonewall  roar 
‘Charge,  Stuart ! pay  off  Ashby’s  score  !’ 
That’s  Stonewall  Jackson’s  way. 

“ Ah,  maiden,  wait  and  watch  and  yearn, 
For  news  of  Stonewall’s  band  ; 

Ah,  widow,  read  with  eyes  that  burn, 

That  ring  upon  thy  hand. 

Ah ! wife,  sew  on,  pray  on,  hope  on, 

Thy  life  shall  not  be  all  forlorn. 

The  foe  had  better  ne’er  been  born. 

Than  get  in  Stonewall’s  wajl” 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

ORDERED  TO  AID  IN  DEFENSE  OF  RICHMOND HIS  ADROIT 

MARCH, SEVEN  DAYS  BATTLES  AROUND  RICH- 

MOND.— Jackson’s  marvelous  vision  as 
TO  mcclellan’s  defeat. 

Jackson  was  needed  to  aid  in  the  defense  of  Richmond 
against  the  rapidly  combining  forces  of  the  Invaders.  And 
the  thought  of  leaving  the  mountains  to  go  to  swampy,  low 
lands  is  not  a pleasant  one.  The  summer  was  the  season 
above  all  others,  when  such  a move  was  especially  uncomforta- 
ble, on  account  of  the  cool,  clear  waters,  the  delightful  air, 
refreshing  and  invigorating  nights  of  slumber ; the  peculiarly 
attractive  7}iarkets  of  the  mountains,  rich  milk,  butter,  mutton, 
and  other  especially  attractive  food  supplies.  But  a soldier’s 
life  is  one  of  uncertainty  and  trial. 

None  of  the  troops  knew  anything  as  to  the  plans  of  their 
commander.  Not  even  Jackson’s  staff  knew.  Jackson  firm- 
ly believed,  that  Mystery  is  the  secret  of  success.^'  He  often 
would  say  that  success  depended  upon  secrecy.  We  have  been 
told  that  he  said,  on  more  than  one  occasion,  that  if  his  coat 
knew  wh^t  he  was  going  to  do,  he  would  take  it  off  and  burn 
it.  He  had  the  reticence  of  a Von  Moltke. 

It  is  well  here  to  give  something  of  the  keen  foresight  of 
Jackson  and  show  how  he  would  even  keep  his  military 
family — his  staff — in  the  dark  about  any  movement  he  con- 
templated making.  He  had  on  this  occasion  all  his  engineers 
working  on  maps  and  routes  to  the  Valley,  and  thus  they  told 
all  their  intimates,  confidentially,  that  Jackson  was  going  to 
follow  Fremont ; when  as  a fact,  he  was  preparing  at  the 
moment  to  go  in  the  opposite  direction. 

Jackson  had  been  sent  for  to  move  at  once  and  help  John- 
ston ; and  while  this  was  all  well  enough,  Jackson  knew  a 
great  deal  more  about  the  situation  than  those  who  were  so  free 
with  orders  as  to  where  he  should  go  ; and  though  he  could 
not  refuse,  as  he  was  not  in  command  of  the  movements  of  the 

army,  he  could  save  his  men,  and  also  carry  out  for  th^  Con- 
381 


382  Story  of  Stonevv^all  Jackson. 

federacy  more,  than  men  so  far  from  the  real  thing  of  war 
itself,  could  possibly  do. 

He  knew  that  Shields,  Fremont,  McDowell,  and  the  rest 
of  the  Invaders,  were  watching  him.  That  the  Northern  peo- 
ple were  in  mortal  dread  of  his  advancing  on  the  capital — 
Washington — and,  worse  still,  the  whole  Northern  country. 
From  prisoners  and  every  source  of  information,  he  was  con- 
vinced that  his  men  were  dreaded  as  so  many  demons  and 
desperate  fighters.  , 

He  could  not  doubt  but  that  they  would  try  to  capture  his 
men  if  they  got  them  anywhere  in  their  power,  as  they  had  such 
heavy  odds  against  him,  inexhaustible  supplies  and  every- 
thing that  war  required;  and  if  he  was  captured,  that  John- 
ston’s men  would  go  also,  and  thence  the  army  about  Rich- 
mond would  follow,  and  all  be  lost. 

He  had  an  able  officer  meet  him  one  night,  and  there  they 
had  an  understanding  as  to  what  Colonel  Munford  was  to  do. 
Jackson  decided  to  order  Colonel  Munford  to  return  to  Har- 
risonburg to  tell  the  news,  where  the  people  would  hear  it, 
that  “Jackson  was  going  down  the  Valley  or  things  looked 
that  'Way'''' — for  Jackson  would  not  tell  a falsehood — nor  did 
Colonel  Munford  know  what  Jackson’s  purposes  in  reality 
were. 

The  surgeons  of  the  Invaders’  arrpy,  whom  Jackson  was 
allowing  to  stay  at  Harrisonburg  under  a flag  of  truce — 
although  Fremont  had  fired  on  Jackson’s  men — thought  the 
flag  of  truce  would  have  to  end  at  once,  and  that  their  sick 
soldiers  would  have  to  be  taken  care  of  by  Jackson’s  surgeons. 

The  plan  worked  like  a charm,  and  the  surgeons  fearing 
that  by  some  of  the  strange  hitches  common  in  war  times, 
they  might  get  mixed  up  and  taken  prisoners,  left  the  sick 
without  any  further  ceremony,  and  as  the  Colonel  let  them 
have  teams  to  hurry  on  with  knowing  that  they  would  tell 
the  news  that  much  quicker,  they  lost  no  time  telling  Fre- 
mont that  ''■yackson' s 'whole  ar?ny  'was  advancing.'^ 

The  manner  Jackson  went  about  this  illustrates  his  capac. 
ity  for  the  smallest  details.  He  wrote  Colonel  Munford  a 
note,  and  from  this  the  Colonel  found  out  as  much  as  he  knew 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson  383 

of  Jackson’s  immediate  advance,  and  was  requested  to  meet 
him  at  night. 

There  was  a gentleman  living  near  Harrisonburg  who  was 
humorous,  and  possessed  shrewd  ways  of  getting  food  for  the 
army  and  a very  loud  voice.  Colonel  Munford  had  this  gen- 
tleman walk  with  him  to  his  room  on  his  return,  which  room 
was  only  separated  from  the  one  occupied  by  the  surgeons,  by 
a thin  partition. 

The  Colonel  talked  very  loud  and  the  other  continued  to 
question.  This  conversation  nearly  drove  the  surgeons  wild 
as  they  heard  that  Jackson  was  preparing  to  move  at  once. 
Soon  they  were  sent  for  and  told  of  Jackson’s  intentions. 

The  result  has  been  told  above.  One  of  the  richest  parts  of 
this  joke  was  that  when  these  surgeons  were  allowed  to  come 
in  under  a flag  of  truce,  they  were  very  arrogant,  and  said 
that  it  made  very  little  difference,  as  Fremont  and  Shields 
were  to  join  and  drive  Jackson  away.  A boaster  nearly  al- 
ways loses. 

The  enemy  were  rushing  to  Strasburg  away  up  the  Valley 
toward  Harper’s  Ferry  while  Jackson  was  moving  his  army 
by  various  ways,  toward  the  east,  but  in  directly  opposite 
direction  from  the  Valley.  General  Lee  had  given  orders  to 
meet  the  prisoners  taken  by  Jackson,  and  parole  the  officers, 
who  would  at  once  tell  the  news  about  the  great  reinforce- 
ments for  Jackson  going  to  the  Valley,  and  this  would  ckuse 
Lincoln  to  keep  reinforcements  from  McClellan,  and  draw  the 
attention  of  the  whole  Northern  army  to  the  Valley,  away 
from  Richmond. 

After  two  days  marching,  Jackson  in  the  meantime  giving 
orders  to  have  the  cavalry  watch  the  enemy  and  keep  out  all 
possible  communication,  they  reached  a point  near  Charlottes- 
ville, and  then  Jackson  gave  his  staff  to  understand  where 
they  were  going.  The  enemy  were  then  too  far  to  reach  him, 
and  he  was  too  near  Johnston  to  be  pressed  by  the  enemy. 
Jackson  rode  ahead  now  with  a few  couriers,  and  went  to 
Gordonsville  about  twenty  miles  toward  Richmond. 

The  very  strictest  orders  were  issued  to  keep  the  men  in 
ignorance  of  everything.  A joke  is  told  on  Jackson,  in  the 


384  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

way  of  his  men  understanding  how  to  catch  their  general. 
Jackson  was  riding  along,  and  he  saw  some  men  up  in  a 
cherry  tree.  He  asked  them,  “Where  are  you  going?”  ‘‘I 
don’t  know,”  replied  the  soldier.  “To  what  command  do  you 
belong?”  “I  don’t  know.”  ‘‘Well  what  State  are  you  from  ?” 
“I  don’t  know.” 

“What  is  the  meaning  of  all  this,”  Jackson  asked  of  an- 
other, and  the  soldier  replied,  “Old  Stonewall  and  General 
Hood  issued  orders  yesterday  that  we  were  not  to  know  any- 
thing until  after  the  fight.” 

Another  anecdote  is  told  at  this  time — one  of  the  “wizard’s” 
generals  asked  a minister  who  was  entertaining  Jackson,  to 
tell  him  where  his  commander  was  going,  the  minister  replied, 
‘‘I  was  about  to  ask  you  the  same  question,  general.” 

Before  marching  he  had  a long  talk  with  one  of  his  friends, 
in  which  he  said  that  if  he  could  get  sixty  thousand  troops, 
he  would  go  direct  to  Pennsylvania.  “I  will  not  go  down  the 
Valley,  I do  not  want  the  people  there  harassed,  I will  go 
with  forty  thousand,  if  the  president  will  give  them  to  me  and 
my  route  will  be  along  the  east  side  of  the  Blue  Ridge.”  The 
route  Jackson  named,  was  the  very  route  Lee  took  to  Gettys- 
burg in  that  fatal  campaign. 

At  one  o’clock  on  Sunday  morning  Jackson  took  one  courier 
and  rode  to  Richmond  to  meet  General  Lee.  A few  miles 
from  his  quarters  he  came  to  the  picket  line  and  was  halted. 
He  tried  to  get  through,  but  the  soldier  told  him  he  was 
ordered  not  to  pass  citizens  or  soldiers,  and  the  order  he  said 
was  from  “Jackson.”  Finally,  the  Captain  was  called  and  he 
knew  Jackson  in  person,  and  thus  he  was  allowed  to  pass. 
He  praised  the  picket  for  doing  his  duty  and  not  allowing  him 
to  pass 

The  niglit  before  Jackson  took  this  journey  to  Richmond, 
he  had  been  invited  to  breakfast  with  some  friends  near  by, 
and  when-  the  servant  came  over  to  his  tent,  to  summon  the 
party  to  Lreakfast,  no  one  was  there  but  his  servant,  who  told 
the  servant  of  his  master’s  intended  hostess : “The  genii 
left  at  one  o’clock  last  night  and  I recond,  is  whippin’  the 
Yankees  in  the  Valley  by  now.” 


“A  Soldier’s  burial — (Not  a minister  nearer  tb.an  the  battlefields — women  perform  the  last  sad  rights. 


“THE  LIGHT  OF  OTHER  DAYS.” 

Represents  a “Confederate  Candle”  made  of  string  and  wax, 
coiled  on  a spool.  Some  of  these  candles  had 
several  yards  of  “tape.” 


Kindness  of  Confederate  Veteran. 


Refu^fing  during  war  of  iSdi-’dq. — “News  from  the  front 


(2IJ 


?r  c 


The  “Old  home  ain’t  what 
ithised  to  be.” 


A FAITHFUL  DEFENDER. 

A monunipnt  should  be  raised  by  the  boys  and  girls 
of  the  South  to_  the  “tried  and  true’’ slaves,  who  stood 
guard  oyer  their  mothers  and  grandmothers,  when  all 
the  men  were  “in  de  wars.” 


FAMILIAR  SCENES  IN  1865. 

From  Southern  homes  went  brave  men,  never  to  return,  and 
broken-hearted  mothers,  wives  and  sisters  were  forced  to 
desert  the  “dearest  place  on  earth” — home, 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


389 


Concerning  the  same  trip  another  story  is  told.  He  and 
his  companion  stopped  at  the  home  of  a gentleman  for  horses, 
as  they  had  ridden  very  hard  up  to  this  point  and  his  horse  was 
jaded;  he  was  refused,  and  rather  abruptly,  as  the  gentleman 
did  not  know  his  visitors.  No  one  suspected  the  commander  of 
' an  army  to  be  so  plainly  uniformed  as  Jackson  and  traveling 
almost  alone,  and  in  so  unassuming  a manner.  Jackson,  never- 
theless, took  the  horses  and  left  his  “old  Sorrel”  and  his  com- 
panion’s horse,  until  he  could  return  the  impressed  horses- 
The  owner  of  the  horses  was  very  indignant,  but  when  he  was 
asked  to  saddle  the  horses,  he  lost  patience  and  told  Jackson 
that  he  had  his  negroes  to  do  this  kind  of  work.  When  the 
gentleman  had  ascertained  that  the  officer  who  had  so  uncere- 
moniously taken  his  horse  was  Stonewall  Jackson,  he  said  had 
he  known  who  the  officer  was,  he  would  have  saddled  all 
the  horses  on  his  plantation  for  him  and  done  anything  he 
wanted  done. 

Jackson  knew  how  to  move  an  army  by  railroad  and  this  was 
his  plan.  Instead  of  having  some  moved  and  others  left 
waiting  away  in  the  rear,  he  would  have  the  trains  with  the 
army  wares  of  all  kinds — the  freights — moved  to  the  front ; 
then  the  passenger  trains  were  taken  to  the  rear,  the  hindmost 
troops  taken  up  and  carried  beyond  the  foremost ; then  the 
train  was  run  again  to  the  rear,  the  hindmost  troops  taken  up, 
and  so  on  till  a whole  army  gained  a day  no  time  being  lost, 
and  the  rear  was  kept  iip. 

Generals  Lee  and  Jackson  had  their  interview,  and  the  lat- 
ter went  at  once  to  his  troops  and  took  them  to  Ashland 
junction.  We  cannot  take  the  reader  through  these  battles 
now  to  follow — the  “seven-days  fight”  around  Richmond — as 
Jackson  was  only  a commander  among  many  others,  and  the 
real  force  of  the  man  was  of  course  hampered  by  circumstan- 
ces. The  battle  of  Chickahominy  was  then  being  prepared  for, 
and  we  can  only  give  the  merest  outlines  as  to  Jackson’s  part. 

Jackson  was  enthused  at  the  thought  of  engaging  in  a 
gigantic  battle,  and  he  would  scarcely  eat  or  sleep,  so  eager 
was  he  to  get  his  men  into  position ; he  chafed  at  the 
delays  over  which  he  had  no  control,  not  even  indirectly. 


39° 


Story  of  Stonewalt  Jackson. 


The  enemy  had  burned  bridges  to  delay  him,  and  inexperi- 
enced officers  caused  other  delays.  He  was  all'  energy,  and 
he  realized  the  import  of  Napoleon’s  words,  “Ask  me  for 
anything  but  time.” 

Late  at  night  two  leading  generals  came  to  him  and  sug- 
gested a plan  to  march  his  command  by  two  columns  instead 
of  one,  and  thus  use  two  roads.  He  did  not  reply, but  told  them 
to  return  later.  As  they  left,  one  remarked  that  the  reply 
was  withheld  until  the  general  could  pray  over  it.  One  of 
the  officers  returned  and  found  Jackson  engaged  in  prayer. 

It  devolved  upon  him  to  open  the  battle  at  Ricmond  by  an  at- 
tack on  the  right  flank  of  McClellan’s  army.  The  sound  of  his 
artillery  at  a certain  hour  was  to  be  the  signal  for  others  to 
attack  in  front.  It  is  related  that  mounted  on  old  “Traveller,” 
General  Lee  took  position  on  the  field,  watch  in  hand,  await- 
ing the  time.  The  hand  upon  the  dial  had  scarcely  pointed 
to  the  hour,  when  the  thunder  of  guns  announced  to  his  chief 
that  “Stonewall”  had  begun  the  fight.  Turning  to  an  officer 
Lee  exclaimed  exultingly,  “Jackson  is  always  in  time.” 

The  “seven-days  fight”  around  Richmond  was  marked  by 
many  desperate  struggles.  The  charge  of  the  Texans  called 
forth  high  praise  from  Jackson. 

The  brave  act  of  the  young  Alabamian,  Pelham  of  Stuart 
artillery,  was  noted  by  Jackson  in  person  ; this  youthful  officer 
fought  a whole  battery  of  Invader  artillery  with  one  cannon 
until  he  received  reinforcements,  and  the  rout  of  the  enemy 
followed. 

Jackson  ordered,  when  exasperated  by  delay,  "•Sweep  the 
field  with  the  bayonet P'  and  he  moved  about  over  the  battle- 
field with  his  old  faded  cap  well-down  over  his  forehead,  and 
sucking  a lemon. 

Graphic  accounts  have  been  given  of  the  rout  of  the  Invader 
army,  and  Jackson,  Longstreet,  Lawton,  the  Hills,  Hampton, 
Magruder,  Whiting,  Ewell,  Hood,  Winder,  Cunningham, 
Trimble,  Stuart,  Huger,  Holmes,  Anderson,  Taylor,  and 
their  brave  officers  and  invincible  men,  crowned  themselves 
with  fame  in  these  contests  and  struggles,  when  their  various 
commands  had  to  fight  sometimes  four  and  five  to  one. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  391 

The  Invaders  burned  Lee’s  home,  the  house  in  which  Wash- 
ington was  married,  and  all  the  outbuildings,  and  did  what 
damage  possible  to  the  surrounding  country,  as  they  saw  they 
were  being  forced  from  the  various  positions.  The  burning 
of  Lee’s  home  was  vandalism  of  unusual  degree.  The  posi- 
tions from  which  the  Invader  army  was  being  driven  were  in 
reality,  battle-fields — Chickahominy,  Cold  Harbor,  Gaines 
Mill,  Savage  Station,  Mechanicsville,  Frazier’s  Farm,  White 
Oak  Swamp,  Malvern  Hill,  and  other  smaller  positions. 

The  Defenders  passed  through  the  “cities  of  canvass,”  the 
camps  of  the  Invaders,  and  found  all  kinds  of  first-class  war 
materials ; even  a regular  telegraph  office,  used  by  McClel- 
lan. with  lines  leading  direct  to  Washington.  The  Invaders 
had  tried  to  destroy  these  supplies  by  burning  and  cutting. 
Piles  of  the  best  quality  of  provisions  were  partly  burned 
where  they  had  been  piled  in  heaps ; drugs  and  medical  stores 
were  mixed  with  mud ; tools,  axes,  hatchets,  spades,  shovels, 
picks,  pontoon  bridges,  wagons,  cooking  utensils  and  a long 
list  of  fixtures  and  appliances  were  found,  partially  destroyed. 

The  Defenders  captured  over  10,000  prisoners,  fifty-two 
pieces  of  artillery  and  thirty-five  thousand  stands  of  arms. 

One  of  the  most  desperate  and  huge  acts  of  this  retreating 
army  was  the  running  into  the  river  a train  loaded  with  am- 
munition, which  they  had  fired.  The  explosion  and  fearful 
rush  of  the  mad,  burning  train,  without  an  engineer  or  any 
person  near  to  stop  the  wild  hurricane  of  “thunder  and  light- 
ning,” is  described  as  being  the  most  terriffic  sight  witnessed 
during  the  war.  The  train  dashed  through  the  bridge  that 
had  been  cut,  and  went  with  an  earthquake  crash  into  the 
river  below.  A picture  of  this  train  is  given. 

The  season  was  hot,  being  mid-summer,  and  the  flat  marshy 
country  in  which  these  battles  were  fought,  between  25th  of 
June  and  ist  of  July,  1863,  made  the  hardships  much  more  op- 
pressive. There  w'ere  bogs,  mud  and  sw'amps  to  contend 
with,  undergrowth  or  tangled  briars,  ditches,  etc.  ; rain,  heat, 
thirst — scarcely  a day  or  night  was  spent  that  the  men  did  not 
suffer  from  hunger.  But  they  were  fighting  for  their  homes. 


39-  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

Many  were  killed,  Avounded  and  taken  prisoners.  The 
figures  of  these  battles  as  to  general  loss  are  appalling. 

Near  Savage  Station  the  Invaders  left  thousands  of  their 
sick  in  the  hands  of  the  Southern  troops  and  their  whole  hos- 
pital outfits — a small  city  of  white  canvas,  was  abandoned. 
Weeks  were  consumed  in  gathering  up  the  stores  left  by  the 
Invaders.  Mules  and  horses  by  the  hundreds  and  all  kinds  o^ 
outfits  were  sent  to  Richmond.  So  many  of  the  Invaders  sur- 
rendered from  time  to  time,  that  some  one  said  to  Jackson  : 
“It  will  embarrass  us  to  feed  them.”  He  replied:  “It  is 
cheaper  to  feed  them  at  present  than  fight  th.em.”  Jackson 
captured  more  than  one  “hospital  city.” 

The  sickness  from  fevers  and  other  diseases  fell  heavy  upon 
both  Northern  and  Southern  troops.  The  greatest  loss  in  war 
is  from  sickness,  and  the  following  figures  in  the  foot  notes 
serve  to  give  an  idea  of  the  ravages  from  this  cause. 

The  following  notes  from  Dr.  Tebault,  Surgeon-General 
United  Confederate  Veterans,  will  be  found  instructive  upon 
this  serious  side  of  war  : 

“In  numbers  the  Federal  loss  was  67,058  killed  and  43,012  died  of 
wounds;  total,  110,070.  Of  the  Confederates  the  like  total  was  74,534. 
The  Confederates  had  53,773  killed  outright  and  194,026  wounded  on 
the  field  of  battle.  More  than  one-third  of  the  600,000  Confederates 
were  therefore  confided  to  the  Confederate  surgeons  for  battle  wounds_ 

“For  the  nineteen  months — January,  1862,  to  Jul}',  1863,  inclusive — 
over  1,000,000  cases  of  wounds  and  sickness  were  entered  upon  the  Con- 
federate field  reports  and  over  400,000  cases  of  wounds  upon  the  hos- 
pital reports.  It  is  estimated  that  each  of  the  600,000  Confederate,': 
were,  on  an  average,  disabled  for  greater  or  lesser  periods,  by  wounds 
and  sickness,  about  six  times_during  the  war. 

“The  heroic,  untiring  important  part  thus  borne  by  the  skillful  Con- 
federate surgeons  in  maintaining  in  the  field  an  effective  army  of  unex- 
ampled Confederate  soldiers  must  challenge  particular  attention.” 

During  these  days  and  nights  of  constant  and  miasmic  ex- 
posure and  loss  of  rest  (and  Dr.  McGuire  tells  us  that  Jackson 
could  not  survive  loss  of  sleep  without  its  effects  telling  upon 
his  nervous  system),  caused  many  to  notice  in  Jackson  a re- 
action in  his  usual  energy,  Some  have  been  heartless  enough 
to  attribute  his  temporary  indisposition  to  a waning  zeal.  We 
refrain  from  comment  upon  such  persons  as  they  did  not  even 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


393 


spare  the  chief,  General  Lee,  in  their  criticism.  Jackson 
himself,  doubtless  felt  that  the  results  of  the  day  were  not 
satisfactory,  and  he  remarked  as  he  lay  down  on  the  ground 
the  night  before  the  horrible  battle  of  Malvern  Hill,  “Let  us 
see  if  we  cannot  do  something  to-morrow,” 

Several  allusions  have  been  made  to  Jackson’s  success  when 
actively  engaged  upon  campaigns  in  which  he  was  enabled  to 
handle  his  resources  and  manage  affairs  upon  his  own  respon- 
sibility. He  recognized  in  himself,  as  all  men  who  are  great 
must  do,  if  they  are  sincere  (and  Jackson  was  certainly  this), 
that  he  possessed  the  ability  to  command.  His  record  shows 
that  no  one,  during  the  entire  war  matched  him  in  his  cam- 
paigns for  success.  ‘■'■He  never  ?nade  a mistake^ 

It  is  not  likely  that  he  allowed  the  fact  of  his  being  for  the 
first  time  made  to  serve  as  merely  a part  of  a general  action 
to  influence  him.  He  had  the  greatest  regard  for  Lee.  There 
can  be  no  doubt  of  this.  Therefore  he  could  not  have  for  a 
moment  doubted  his  commander-in-chief.  All  his  course  de- 
nies this.  But  no  mortal  ever  fathomed  the  true  depths  of 
this  most  remarkable  man. 

He  was  as  conscious  of  his  gifts  and  powers  as  any  one ; 
and  yet,  he  was  at  all  times  an  humble  man  who  placed  “God 
where  God  belonged”  in  his  life — the  ruler  of  his  every  action 
— and  whether  he  felt  when  mixed  with  a general  army  of  va- 
rious and  intricate  combinations,  that  he  was  anything  but  an 
arm,  instead  of  being  the  brain  and  arm,  no  one  knows. 

General  D.  H.  Hill,  in  writing  of  Jackson,  says:  “Jack- 
son’s  genius  never  was  shown  when  he  was  under  the  com- 
mand of  another.  It  seemed  then  to  be  shrouded  or  para- 
lyzed. Compare  his  inertness  on  this  occasion  with  the  won- 
derful vigor  shown  a few  weeks  later  at  Slaughter’s  (Cedar 
Mountain)  in  the  stealthy  march  to  Pope’s  rear,  and  in  the 
capture  of  Harper’s  Ferry. 

“MacGregor  on  his  native  heath  was  not  more  different 
from  MacGregor  in  prison  than  was  Jackson,  as  his  own  master, 
from  Jackson  in  subordinate  position.  He  wrote  once  to 
Richmond  requesting  that  he  might  have  "fewer  orders  and 


394 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


more  men.'’'  That  was  the  key-note  to  his  whole  character. 
“The  hooded  falcon  cannot  strike  the  quarry.” 

Malvern  Hill ! The  name  sends  a sigh  to  many  a heart 
throughout  America.  Malvern  Hill  was  the  scene  of  the  next 
battle,  after  the  night  referred  to,  when  Jackson  told  his  of- 
ficers that  they  would  all  try  and  do  sometJiing  next  day.  Here 
fell  many  men  whose  names  are  yet  spoken  in  sadness  and 
pride.  Jackson  commanded  on  the  left.  The  artillery  fire 
from  both  sides  was  almost  incessant.  The  charges  of  the  In- 
vaders Avas  marked  by  the  most  stubborn  onslaught,  but  the 
Southern  soldiers  had  the  advantage  in  many  respects,  in  fact 
in  all,  save  numbers  and  equipment. 

All  day  they  fought,  both  sides,  like  the  fate  of  the  war  de- 
pended upon  this  struggle.  Both  sides  were  nearly  exhausted. 
Night  came,  and  the  damp  chilly  air  was  comfortless.  The 
artillery  of  the  Invaders  kept  up  its  fire  late  into  the  night, 
lighting  up  the  dismal,  deathly  scenes  by  the  flashing  glare  of 
bursting  shells.  The  Defenders  fought,  even  though  they 
barely  could  see ; in  fact,  could  only  see  the  fire  lines  of 
the  rifles  of  the  Invaders,  and  shoot  at  that  line.  Yells  filled 
the  night,  when  sounds  could  be  heard  above  the  roar  of  the 
Invader’s  artillery.  “A  gruesomeness  pervaded  the  whole 
earth,  and  night  was  hideous.” 

About  ten  o’clock  the  fighting  stopped,  and  the  men  at  once 
began  to  look  for  something  to  eat,  and  a place  to  I'est.  Jack- 
son  went  part  of  the  way  to  the  rear,  and  in  a few  moments, 
was  sound  asleep  on  a pallet,  out  under  the  trees ; his  servant 
prepared  this  pallet  for  him.  As  he  slept,  the  soldiers  and 
wagons  were  moving  about  him.  At  one  time,  in  that  day’s 
battle,  he  assisted  in  person  in  the  moving  of  a piece  of  ar- 
tillery. 

At  about  one  o’clock  in  the  morning,  one  of  his  division- 
commanders  came  to  hi.g  pallet,  aroused  him,  and  asked  for 
orders.  Jackson  arose  and  sat  on  his  ground-bed.  At  this  mo- 
ment the  enemy  was  retreating,  but  no  one  knew  it.  The 
night  Avas  of  Egyptian  darkness,  starless  and  black.  In  a mo- 
ment Jackson  said,  “McClellan  and  his  army  Avill  be  gone  by 
daylight.”  All  the  rest  of  the  men  looked  for  disaster  the 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson  395 

next  day,  but  he  saw  the  enemy  being  defeated,  having  done 
its  best,  was  routed. 

By  this  laconic  and  electric  response  is  again  shown  Jack- 
son’s almost  inspired  genius.  He  had  no  mind  for  fancies. 
He  literally  “took  no  council  of  his  fears.’’ 

A writer  who  was  in  McClellan’s  army,  reported: 

“Huddled  among  the  wagons  were  tens  of  thousands  of  stragglers; 
for  the  credit  of  the  nation  be  it  said  they  were  wounded,  sick  or  ut- 
terly exhausted,  and  could  not  have  stirred  but  for  the  dread  of  the 
tobacco  warehouses,  (used  as  prisons  in  Richmond).  The  confusion 
of  this  herd  of  men  and  mules,  wagons  and  wounded,  men  on  foot,  men 
on  horses,  men  perched  on  wagons,  by  the  road  side,  men  searching 
for  water,  famishing  for  food,  men  lame  and  bleeding,  men  with  ghostly 
eyes  looking  out  between  bloody  bandages  that  hid  thin  faces — fill  out 
the  picture,  the  grim,  gaunt,  bloody  picture  of  war  in  its  most  terrible 
features. 

“The  night  was  one  of  rain,  storm  and  blackness,  but  as  the  men  ap- 
proached the  river  James,  and  the  Galena’s  smokestacks,  they  were  like 
Xenophon’s  hosts  greeting  “The  Sea!  The  Sea!”  On  reaching  the 
river.  General  McClellan  went  aboard  one  of  the  vessels  at  once,  and 
meeting  General  Patterson,  {another  one  of  Jachson' s old  victims)  he 
laid  his  hand  on  his  shoulder  and  took  him  hurriedly  into  the  cabin, 
beating  the  air  with  his  clenched  fist  as  they  entered.  He  told  Patter- 
son the  fate  of  the  army,  “that  it  lay  stretched  along  the  banks  of  the 
river.” 

it*-****** 

The  Northern  Secretary  of  War  officially  reported,  “I  doubt  whether 
there  are  to-day  50,000  men  with  their  colors.”  (Note. — McClellan 
had  over  115,000  men  in  the  battle  and  reserve  when  the  “seven-days” 
fight  began). 

None  seemed  to  have  any  knowledge  of  his  reaching  the  won- 
derful conclusions  he  did  that  night  at  Malvern  Hill.  Such  as 
his  assertion  that  the  enemy  was  gone — when  only  three  hours 
before  he  had  been  fighting  him.  The  greater  the  consternation 
of  others,  the  calmer  he  grew.  He  never  temporized  about  any 
matter.  He  went  to  the  element  of  war,  with  deductions, 
shorn  of  all  confusion.  He  often  said  ivar  meant  fighting. 
“When  once  he  saw  the  battle  about  him,  no  power  could 
shake  his  confidence  in  his  victory.  He  could  tell  at  a glance 
when  the  enemy  was  whipped.  His  vision  often  puzzled  his 
comrades.” 


39^  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

The  next  morning  General  McClellan  and  his  hosts  were 
gone.  He  was  anxious  to  follow  the  routed  enemy,  but  again 
his  hand  was  stayed.  He  was  up-and  among  his  men  at  the 
break  of  day,  had  their  food  immediately  prepared  and 
plans  arranged  for  their  rest,  both  of  which  they  sadly  needed. 
An  officer  who  had  occasion  on  the  day  of  the  battle  of  Mal- 
vern Hill,  to  go  to  Jackson,  says  that  he  had  never  seen  such 
an  expression  on  his  face  before ; that  his  was  the  most  de- 
termined looking  face  he  had  ever  gazed  upon.  Says  the 
officer  ; “With  fire  flashing  from  his  eyes,  his  under  jaw  pro- 
jected and  his  teeth  firmly  set,  he  fairly  seemed  an  avenging 
god  bent  on  destruction,  as  he  dashed  over  the  battle-field.” 
Many  have  said  Jackson  in  battle  was  as  indignant  and 
infuriated  as  if  the  contest  was  that  of  a personal  encounter. 

As  no  orders  came  for  his  advance  and  as  he  was  not  in 
command,  he  could  not  follow  the  route.  From  the  report 
of  the  farmers  and  others  along  the  route  taken  by  the  re- 
treating enemy,  there  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  Jackson  with 
ten  thousand  fresh  men  could  have  captured  McClellan’s  en- 
tire army.  The  Congressional  committee  from  the  North 
stated:  “Nothing  but  a heavy  rain,  thereby  preventing  the 
enemy  from  bringing  up  its  artillery,  saved  the  army  from  de- 
struction.” This,  while  about  as  near  as  civil  authorities  get 
at  war  facts,  proves  that  Jackson’s  conclusions  concerning 
the  weakness  of  the  enemy  were  correct. 

The  failure  to  follow  the  enemy  has  been  attributed  to  sev- 
eral causes.  One,  that  incompetent  and  inexperienced 
officers  were  dilatory  in  their  duties,  and  Lee  being  away 
from  the  field,  the  time  to  strike  passed;  and  when  Lee  went 
over  the  ground  with  Jackson,  in  front  of  McClellan’s  posi- 
tion two  days  afterwards,  it  was  decided  not  to  strike.  Too 
late!  Jackson  would  have  won  a victory  as  complete  as  his 
victories  always  were  ; but  then,  he  had  no  power  to  do  more 
than  carry  out  plans  made  by  others. 

The  seven  day’s  fighting  around  Richmond  did  not  accom- 
plish much,  as  the  loss  of  men  will  never  be  repaid  by  the 
spoils  of  war.  The  fighting  was  brilliant  and  the  number  of 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  397 

the  Invaders  was  heavy  as  compared  with  the  Defenders,  about 
three  to  one. 

Had  JMcClellan  been  folloived  ifnjnediately , surrender 
'Would  no  doubt  have  ensued  and  the  war  elided. 

In  his  Valley  Campaign,  Jackson,  with  less  than  seventeen 
thousand  men,  had  run  off  over  sixty  thousand  of  the  enemy, 
and  in  addition  to  this,  had  kept  off  fully  forty  thousand  that 
threatened  Fredricksburg  and  consequently,  Richmond.  These 
forty  thousand  were  called  to  Washington  when  Jackson’s 
defeat  of  Fremont  and  Shields  was  reported  to  Washington. 
Here,  at  Malvern  Hill,  with  a routed  army  at  his  mercy,  he 
was  helpless ! 

Deeply  impressed  with  the  errors  of  which  he  could  at  most 
merely  conjecture,  as.  to  cause,  he  wrote  again  to  Richmond 
to  friends  there,  and  spoke  to  Colonel  Boteler  and  also  General 
Lee  upon  his  proposition  to  invade  the  enemy’s  country; 
but  his  hopes  were  doomed  to  be  shattered.  True,  after  a 
while  an  excursion  was  made  into  the  enemy’s  country,  but 
not  under  Jackson’s  direction,  as  results  show.  With  all 
sacredness,  if  we  are  to  interpret  the  meaning  by  results,  we 
must  confess  that  Jackson’s  God  of  battle  was  indeed  Jack- 
son’s God  of  battle,  and  not  another’s. 

JACKSON  IS  THE  ONLY  GENERAL  OR  COM- 
MANDER KNOWN  TO  HISTORY,  OR  OF  WHICH 
ANY  ACCOUNT  IS  GIVEN,  WHO  NEVER  LOST  A 
BATTLE  OR  WAS  DEFEATED  IN  HIS  CAM- 
PAIGNS. This  assertion  is  made  in  fair  challenge  for  compe- 
tent proof  of  its  error. 

The  enemy  was  on  Harrison’s  Landing  on  James  River,  be- 
low Richmond,  and  Jackson,  it  is  said  felt, that  his  “Scipio  Af- 
ricanus  policy”  could,  at  that  moment,  be  tried.  (A  Fabian  pol- 
icy was  never  Jackson’s)  ; but  he  was  not  permitted  to  go.  We 
have  read  of  the  exhausted  condition  and  the  loss  of  confidence 
among  the  troops  in  the  Invading  army,  after  the  Seven  Days 
fight  around  Richmond ; and  while  this  was  not  the  condition 
of  the  Defenders,  they  were  always  brave,  hopeful  and  de- 
termined, as  all  men  are  who  fight  for  a just  cause,  for 
their  homes  and  inherited  riches,  yet  there  was  enough  to  dis- 


J 


398  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

courage  the  stoutest  patriot’s  heart  after  these  days  of  struggle 
to  see  nothing  accomplished  and  thousands  of  their  comrades 
dead  or  wounded.  The  losses  of  the  Seven  Days  fight  around 
Richmond  was  among  the  heaviest  during  the  war. 

Then  too,  the  Southern  soldiers  had  suffered  great  priva- 
tions for  lack  of  the  barest  necessities  of  life  ; food  was  scarce, 
clothing  and  medicines  were  equally  as  scarce.  Who  can  com- 
pare the  Southern  troops  to  their  enemies  in  any  degree,  or 
by  any  means?  Their  enemies  had  not  only  an  enormous 
population  from  which  to  draw  recruits  to  their  ranks,  not  only 
the  regular  army  to  begin  with,  but  the  ports  of  the  world 
were  open  to  them,  they  had  money  by  the  billions  and 
facilities  for  fitting  out  armies,  that  dazzled  the  North  itself* 

A Southern  man,  an  officer,  has  said  since  the  war  ended, 
that  the  greatest  man  developed  by  the  war  was  on  the 
Northern  side — true  this  Southern  man  has  been  unable  to 
sustain  himself,  but  this  aside,  he  is  wrong ; who  cannot 
be  greater  than  a weak  opponent,  when  supported  by  the  array 
of  power  and  advantages  named  above? 

♦STRIKING  FACTS. 

“Let  me  here  briefly  and  terseh'  recite  a few  historic  facts,  from 
official  data  in  my  possession,  of  interest  to  stimulate  our  further  re- 
search: Of  the  thirty-four  States  and  Territories  only  eleven  seceded. 
In  these  eleven  States  the  men  of  military  age — from  eighteen  to  forty- 
five  years — numbered  1,064,193 — inclusive  of  lame,  halt,  blind,  etc. 

On  the  Union  side  the  same  class  numbered  4,559,872 — over  four  to 
one — without  estimating  the  constant  accessions  from  the  world  at 
large  augmenting  monthly  the  Union  side. 

The  United  States  in  enlisted  men  numbered  2,865,028  against  not  ex. 
ceeding  600,000  on  the  side  of  the  Confederacy. 

With  the  States  of  Kentucky,  Missouri,  Maryland,  West  Virginia, 
Tennessee  and  the  remainder  of  the  Southern  States,  the  remarkable 
facts  present  that  the  South  itself — the  slave  States — gave  exceeding 
300,000  to  the  Union  side- -more  than  half  as  many  soldiers  as  com. 
prised  the  entire  Confederate  army. 

These  facts,  derived  from  the  war  records,  show  that  there  were  four 
armies  in  the  field,  each  one  of  which  was  as  large  at  the  entire  Con- 
federate army,  without  including  the  more  than  300,000  contingent 
from  the  South.  — C.  H.  Tebault,  M.D.,  of  Nevj  Orleans,  Surgeon- 
(inieral  United  Confederate  Veterans. 


/ 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson 


399 


Reverse  the  situation,  and  give  the  Southern  man  one-half 
of  what  the  Northern  men  threw  away  even,  and  see  what 
greatness  would  have  then  been  left  for  the  Southern  officer, 
above  referred  to,  to  dispense  with.  Jackson  knew  all  these 
things,  and  as  at  Manassas,  he  asserted  to  a friend  that  the 
North  would  redouble  its  efforts  and  come  back  again  against 
the  South  with  millions  of  troops  and  billions  of  dollars  in 
equipment,  if  necessary. 

In  the  end  who  was  right?  Jackson  was  in  his  grave,  and 
at  Appomattox  the  South  had  only  a “hand  full”  of  starved 
men.  The  entire  number  of  Southern  defenders  capitulated 
at  Appomattox,  Goldsboro  and  other  points,  from  April  9th  to 
May  26,  1865,  the  day  General  Kirby  Smith  surrendered,  was 
175,000,  and  a majority  of  these  were  either  sick  or  wounded 
and  unable  to  do  military  duty — at  Appomattox  there  was 
scarcely  ten  per  cent,  of  this  number  available.  The  North 
had  nearly  a MILLION  MEN ! The  whole  number  of 
Northern  soldiers  mustered  out  and  in  the  field  in  1865  was 
1,850,000  men!  Nearly  a million  and  three  quarters  more 
than  the  South  had.  Had  Jackson  been  permitted  to  carry 
out  the  true  plan  and  consequences  of  war,  as  the  means  to 
the  end,  and  taken  the  enemy  when  he  had  them  running 
from  the  Southern  soldiers  “like  sheep,”  there  would  have 
been  no  “Appomattox!”  The  South  would  have  been  con- 
querors indeed. 

The  morning  after  the  battle  of  Malvern  Hill,  Jackson  had 
not  had  anything  to  eat.  He  was  riding  along  the  road  with 
an  officer  whom  he  asked  if  he  had  eaten  anything?  The  of- 
ficer replied  that  he  had,  and  Jackson  said,  he  would  like  to  get 
something  to  eat  himself,  adding  “I  wonder  if  I can  get  some 
butter-milk?”  They  rode  to  the  house  of  an  old  lady,  where 
the  officer  had  gotten  his  breakfast,  and  upon  arriving  at  his 
old  friend’s  gate  he  asked  : 

“Can  I get  some  breakfast  for  General  Jackson?  He  has 
had  none  to-day,”  said  the  officer.  “For  whom?”  “General 
Jackson,”  replied  the  officer.  “General  Jackson!  That  is 
not  General  Jackson,”  pointing  to  the  man  in  the  dingy  old 
uniform,  and  faded  cadet  cap.  “Yes,  madam,  this  is  General 


400  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

Jackson.”  The  faithful  Virginian  was  overcome,  and  she 
placed  her  hands  to  her  face  and  wept.  Everything  she  had, 
including  the  butter-milk,  was  put  on  the  table  for  her  loved 
general. 

It  is  a fact  worthy  of  note,  that  during  these  seven  days  of 
battles,  wherever  Jackson  went,  or  the  men  could  see  him, 
he  was  cheered,  and  nowhere  could  he  go,  or  appear,  that  the 
men  did  not  yell  all  sorts  of  affectionate  words  of  recognition. 
He  was  beloved  in  his  brigade,  he  was  loved  by  the  whole 
army,  by  the  people,  and  to-day  by  the  world  at  large. 

Alany  believe  that  a special  Providence  watched  over  Jack- 
son.  On  a march  to  attack  the  enemy  about  Cold  Harbor, 
Jackson  was  not  familiar  with  the  country,  and  his  guide  being 
either  stupid  or  inclined  to  take  advantage  of  his  importance, 
Jackson  was  misled — taking  the  wrong  road.  This  was  a 
serious  matter — to  lose  an  hour  with  a whole  army  going  into 
action  as  a reinforcing  body ; and  yet  Jackson  said,  with  his 
customary  patience,  “Let  us  trust  that  the  providence  of  God 
will  so  overrule  it,  that  no  mischief  shall  result.”  The  delay 
enabled  General  D.  H.  Hill  to  meet  him  at  the  right  time  ex- 
actly, and  they  joined  General  A.  P.  Hill  who  was  fighting 
overwhelming  numbers,  and  the  three  soon  drove  the  enemy 
back,  though  after  a savage  resistance  on  part  of  the  Invaders. 
During  this  day  Jackson  shone  at  his  best. 

He  rode  among  the  different  bodies  of  troops  and  gave  or- 
ders, There  was  a delay.  The  sun  was  going  down  on 
that  terrible  June  day,  and  he  saw  the  Defenders  were  being 
crowded  by  the  artillery  and  desperate  fighting  of  the  enemy. 
He  gave  this  order;  “Tell  them  this  affair  must  hang  in 
suspense  no  longer — sweep  the  field  with  the  bayonet.'" 
Fortunately,  the  delay  had  broken  before  the  order  had  to  be 
executed,  in  this  instance,  as  the  yells  of  the  Defenders  showed 
the  day  was  won,  and  the  enemy  began  to  leave  the  north  side 
of  the  river  and  swamp. 

There  is  to  be  found  but  few  of  the  official  reports  and  pa- 
pers of  Jackson — what  became  of  them  no  one  appears  to 
know.  The  following  will  give  us  in  his  own  words  how  he 
fought,  won,  felt,  and  wrote  officially  : (The  following  re- 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  401 

fers  to  Texans).  “Advancing  through  a number  of  retreating 
and  disordered  regiments,  he  (Hood  and  his  Texans)  came 
within  range  of  the  enemy’s  fire,  who,  concealed  in  an  open 
wood  and  protected  by  breastworks,  poured  a destructive 
fire  for  a quarter  of  a mile  into  his  advancing  line,  under 
which  many  brave  officers  and  men  fell. 

Dashing  with  unfaltering  step  in  the  face  of  these  murder- 
ous discharges  of  canister  and  musketry,  General  Hood,  Col- 
onel Laws,  and  others  at  the  head  of  their  respective  brigades, 
rushed  to  the  charge  with  a yell.  Moving  down  a precipitous 
ravine,  leaping  ditches  and  streams,  clambering  up  a difficult 
ascent,  and  exposed  to  a deadly  and  incessant  fire  from  the  in- 
trenchments,  these  brave  and  determined  men  pressed  for- 
ward, driving  the  enemy  from  his  well-selected  and  fortified 
position. 

“In  this  charge,  in  which  upward  of  a thousand  men  fell, 
killed  and  wounded,  before  the  face  of  the  enemy,  and  in 
which  fourteen  pieces  of  artillery  and  nearly  a regiment  were 
captured,  the  Fourth  Texas,  under  the  leadership  of  General 
Hood,  was  the  first  to  pierce  these  strong-holds  and  seize  the 
guns. 

“The  shouts  of  triumph  which  rose  from  our  brave  men 
(as  they,  unaided  by  artillery,  stormed  this  citadel  of  their 
strength)  were  promptly  carried  from  line  to  line,  and  the  tri- 
umphant issue  of  this  assault,  with  the  well-directed  fire  of 
the  batteries  and  successful  charges  of  Hill  and  Winder  (lat- 
ter with  the  Stonewall  Brigade)  upon  the  enemy’s  right,  de- 
termined the  fortunes  of  the  day.  The  Federals,  routed  at 
every  point,  and  aided  by  the  darkness  of  the  night,  escaped 
across  the  Chickahominy.” 

Some  day  the  lives  of  Confederate  leaders,  in  the  different 
arms  of  the  service,  the  Infantry,  Cavalry,  and  Artillery  as  well 
as  Navy,  with  the  Civil  also,  will  be  written  in  the  interest  of 
true  patriotism  and  fullest  American  service.  Then  will  be 
shown  the  valor  and  all  that  belongs  to  the  great  fighters  of 
the  South,  to  the  men  who  left  their  homes  to  defend  their 
rights,  under  the  Constitution  of  the  country  they  inherited 
from  their  forefathers. 


403  Story  of  Stonewai.i.  Jacksox. 

What  has  been  said  and  written  by  certain  persons  upon 
the  supposed  ingratitude  of  the  Texans  as  to  the  part  Vir- 
ginia took  with  her  troops  in  the  troubles  of  that  State,  Texas, 
and  its  varying  fortunes  before  it  became  a State  of  the 
Union,  must  be  “withdrawn.”  All  are  ever  ready  to  accord 
to  Virginia  her  glorious  part  in  history,  and  in  the  broad  lib- 
erality of  her  paternal  love  and  patriotic  co-operation,  but  as 
we  have  never  known  of  Texas  showing  a lack  of  gratitude  to 
any  State  for  the  services  they  may  have  given  her  in  her 
troubles,  we  write  this  to  say  that  no  Virginian  or  Southerner 
should  ever  again  accuse  Texans  of  a want  of  chivalry  or 
gratitude,  after  the  battle  of  Cold  Harbor,  June  27th,  1862  ! 
They  saved  the  day,  and  in  saving  the  day  saved  Richmond, 
and  saving  Richmond  saved  the  Confederacy!  She  paid  her 
debt  that  day,  and  placed  her  name  and  banner  high  on  the 
roll  of  eternal  fame.  Jackson  spoke  of  the  Texans  in  that 
charge,  as  they  passed  into  the  storm  of  death — the  enemy’s 
artillery  tearing  their  ranks  like  the  angry  waters  crashing 
through  crevices  in  a dam — exclaiming,  “These  are  soldiers 
indeed!” 

One  night  during  these  days  of  fighting,  Jackson,  after 
giving  orders  for  the  troops  to  be  ready  to  move  by  the  first 
light  of  day,  lay  down  to  get  some  sleep.  He  was  on  the 
ground  with  the  rest  of  the  soldiers.  A rain  came  up  about 
one  o’clock  in  the  night  and  soaked  him.  No  one  could 
sleep  after  this  storm,  so  he  gave  orders  to  prepare  to  march 
at  once,  and  went  to  reinforce  General  Magruder — the  same 
Magruder  who  gave  the  reports  of  Jackson  in  Mexico — Jack- 
son  ranked  him  now  but  was  greatly  attached  to  him. 

This  was  a fortunate  act,  the  two  forces  combining,  and 
before  the  attack  of  the  30th  of  June,  gave  another  victory, 
Savage  Station,  to  the  Defenders.  Such  occasions  as  these, 
Jackson’s  moving  during  the  inclement  night  and  at  such  an 
hour,  gave  zest  to  the  belief  that  he  was  inspired.  Many 
claim  to  this  good  day  that  Jackson  was  always  under  a special 
Providence. 

On  this  day,  30th  of  June,  after  having  fought  and  ridden 
all  day,  he  writes  his  wife  this  letter  (showing  that  in  the 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


403 


heaviest  trials  of  battle  and  in  the  scenes  of  terror  on  all  sideE, 
he  remembers  his  lonely  wife,  his  home,  longs  for  peace,  and 
tells  his  wife  to  give  one-tenth  to  the  church,  to  take  an  ac- 
count, and  see  that  she  does  it  systematically)  ; 

“Near  White  Oak  Swamp  Bridge.  An  ever  kind  Provi- 
dence has  greatly  blessed  our  efforts  and  given  us  great  reason 
for  thankfulness  in  having  defended  Richmond.  To-day  the 
enemy  is  retreating  down  the  Chickahominy  towards  the 
James  River.  Many  prisoners  are  falling  into  our  hands. 
General  D.  H.  Hill  (his  brother-in-law),  and  I are  together^ 

‘T  had  a wet  bed  last  night,  as  the  rain  fell  in  torrents.  I 
got  up  about  midnight,  and  have  not  seen  much  rest  since.  I 
do  trust  that  our  God  will  soon  bless  us  with  an  honorable 
peace,  and  permit  us  to  be  together  at  home  again  in  the  en- 
joyment of  domestic  happiness.  You  must  give  fifty  dollars 
for  church  purposes  and  more  should  you  be  disposed.  Keep 
all  account  of  the  amount,  as  we  must  give  at  least  one-tenth 
of  our  income. 

‘T  would  like  very  much  to  see  my  darling,  but  hope  that 
God  will  enable  me  to  remain  at  the  post  of  duty  until,  in  His 
own  good  time,  he  blesses  us  with  independence.  This  go- 
ing home  has  injured  the  army  immensely.” 

After  about  a week,  the  Southern  soldiers  marched  to  a point 
near  Richmond,  and  the  rest  was  enjoyed.  But  the  climate 
and  the  drinking  water  played  sad  havoc  among  the  men,  and 
the  sick  list  grew  rapidly,  while  deaths  were  numerous. 

From  the  hour  war  begins,  there  is  much  to  make  the  sol- 
dier long  for  home.  His  home  may  be  an  humble  one,  but  it 
has  the  comforts  of  a palace  when  compared  to  the  hardships 
and  starvation  of  army  life. 

He  came  and  did  his  part  faithfully  in  complying  with 
Lee’s  request,  “He  must  come  and  help  me  drive  these  peo- 
ple away  from  Richmond  first.”  This  remark  was  made  in 
connection  with  Jackson’s  request  for  troops,  after  his  Valley 
successes,  before  referred  to.  The  troops,  40,000,  were  want- 
ed by  Jackson  to  go  and  take  the  enemies’  country  and  end 
the  war.  This  remark  of  his  beloved  chief,  Lee,  added  fresh 
laurels  to  his  fame. 


404  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

About  this  time  he  writes  a lady  in  Cumberland,  Maryland, 
who  had  sent  him  a beautiful  hat.  He  does  not  say  whether 
he  wore  it  often,  but  he  doubtless  did  not  often  discard  his 
cap,  as  his  mode  of  fighting  did  not  admit  of  large,  fine, 
showy  hats.  The  cap  and  “Little  Sorrel”  made  him  a kind 
of  mascot  to  his  men  and  all  troops  fighting  with  them  as  com- 
rades, for  wherever  he  went,  and  the  men  could  see  his  horse 
and  cap.  they  felt  that  victory  was  as  good  as  theirs,  in  any 
odds  put  against  them. 

While  in  Richmond,  he  went  to  hear  Dr.  Hoge,  and  an  ac- 
count of  his  visit  to  the  city  and  his  attendance  at  church  is 
related  by  one  who  had  the  honor  of  seeing  him.  He  entered 
the  church  unobserved  and  took  a seat  near  the  door,  and  but 
few  knew  he  was  there  until  the  services  were  concluded, 
when  some  of  the  congregation  recognized  him  and,  to  his 
embarrassment,  began  to  throng  about  him.  As  soon  as  he 
could  do  so,  with  any  degree  of  politeness,  he  escaped,  and 
left.  No  one  suspected  the  plainly  dressed  man,  with  the 
sunburnt  uniform  and  cap,  was  the  “great  Stonewall.”  He 
returned  at  once  to  his  tent,  after  a visit  to  the  mother  of  a 
young  soldier  in  his  command,  who  had  lost  his  life  in  battle. 

During  all  the  excitement  of  the  Seven  Days’  fight  around 
Richmond,  there  was  such  confidence  in  the  army  of  the 
Defenders  on  the  part  of  the  people  in  the  city,  that  although 
in  hearing  of  the  battles,  that  is,  being  near  enough  to  hear 
the  cannons  and  at  times  see  the  shells  bursting  in  the  skies, 
they  continued  in  their  usual  avocations  and  daily  customs. 

The  Carthagenians,  when  camped  around  Rome,  and  had 
been  victorious,  did  not  disturb  the  Romans,  who,  in  the 
Forum,  sold  the  very  ground  on  which  the  Carthagenians  were 
camped,  and  the  patriotic  Italians  bid  full  price ; so  in  Rich- 
mond, the  presence  of  a “boastful  enemy”  did  not  cause  the 
citizens  to  lose  faith  or  waver  in  their  purposes. 

After  the  experiences  around  Richmond  and  the  disasters 
generally,  the  Inv^aders  gave  a new  name  to  their  army.  They 
called  it  “The  Army  of  Virginia.”  Was  this  a piece  of  hu- 
mor, likely  perpetrated  by  a wag,  who  was  unfriendly,  in  a 
rather  mean  way,  to  some  of  the  leaders?  The  Southern  au- 


White  Oak  Bridge  Artillery  Engagement. — (Jackson’s  Men  in  the  Distance  Advancing.) 

Copyright  by  the  Century,  1885. 


Jackson’s  Troops ‘‘AbsorV)ing'”  the  Enemy’s  Supplies  at  Manassas  Junction — Second  Manassa^. 

Copyrighted  iSS6,  by  the  Century  Co. 


(22) 


Starke’s  Brigade  (of  Jackson’s  Corps)  Fighting  with  Stones  Near  the  Deep  Cut-(Secoiul  Manassa' 

Copy iSS6  by  Ibc  Century  Co. 


JACKSON’S  FRIEND. 

Commanding  General  of  the  Confederate  Forces, 


Story  op-  Stonewall  Jackson 


409 

tliorities  had  for  some  time  designated  their  army  as  “The 
Army  of  Northern  Virginia.”  This  name  was  retained 
throughout  the  war,  and  it  is  retained  as  the  name  of  the  Con- 
federate Veteran  Survivors  for  certain  States  forming  a divis- 
ion, and  Gen.  Wade  Hampton,  of  South  Carolina,  is  Com- 
mander. 

General  Pope,  the  Drawcanser  of  that  period,  proved  a fail- 
ure and  was  retired.  The  name  of  the  Invaders’  army  was 
then  changed  to  “Army  of  the  Potomac.”  This  change  was 
on  the  order  of  changing  the  name  of  hotels  to  get  rid  of  bad 
reputations.  Pope  was  anything  but  popular  in  Virginia, 
particularly  about  Culpepper  where  his  army  was  stationed. 
We  are  told  that  he  allowed  his  men  to  take  children’s  ponies 
and  other  things  that  could  be  of  no  possible  use  or  service  to 
his  men,  army,  or  coimti'y. 

Some  war  correspondents  from  the  North  could  not  stomach 
this  “new-fangled  sort  of  a military  man,”  Pope,  and  se- 
verely criticised  his  course  and  the  conduct  of  his  men  in  their 
treatment  of  non-combatants.  For  the  sake  of  those  who  do 
not  like  to  read  unpleasant  things  about  the  war,  we  desist 
from  repeating  the  letters  of  these  correspondents,  but  “they 
do  read  so  truthfully,  and  are  so  attractive  in  their  rough  and 
ready  facts.” 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

LEAVES  RICHMOND  AND  SOON  MEETS  POPE,  THE  BOASTER. 

NOTES  UPON  THE  TRIAI.S  OE  THE  TIMES. THE  SOUTH  — 

ITS  HISTORIC  GRANDEUR  AND  SPLENDID  CIV- 
ILIZATION AND  WEALTH. 

Jackson  and  his  troops  left  the  unhealthful  section  near  the 
swamps,  and  to  their  deliglit,  were  on  their  way  to  the  Blue 
Ridge  mountains,  and  while  fighting  was  before  them,  they 
could  see  that  to  remain  in  the  hot,  marshy  section  was  far 
more  to  be  dreaded  than  the  battles. 

They  are  to  meet  a new  destroyer.  General  Pope — a Tamer- 
lane without  a conquest — who  had  come  from  the  West  on  a 
record  made  by  himself,  in  words,  of  taking  ten  thousand 
prisoners  from  Beauregard,  which  number  was  reduced  to  a 
decimal  of  one  per  cent,  finally,  by  those  who  knew  the  facts. 
However,  he  gave  out  in  his  reports  that  the  only  part  of  the 
enemy  (Southerners)  he  had  ever  seen,  was  the  ba(;k — he  may 
have  been  confused  at  the  time  of  making  the  boast,  at  any 
rate  he  soon  saw  the  front  of  the  enemy  about  Culpepper, 
Virginia,  and  with  them  one  who  never  met  defeat,  never 
turned  his  back  to  the  enemy,  and  never  boasted. 

General  Pope  gave,  among  other  stirring  items  in  his  orders, 
these  words  : “I  have  heard  much  of  lines  of  communication, 
and  lines  of  retreat.  The  only  lines  a general,  in  my  opinion, 
should  know  anything  about,  is  the  line  of  his  enemy’s  re- 
treat.” (It  is  reported  Jackson  smiled  superbly  when  he  heard 
this.)  He  further  proposed  to  have  his  army  sustained  by 
the  country  over  which  it  domineered,  there  being  no  resist- 
ance, as  all  the  Southern  men  were  in  the  army  from  around 
Culpepper  and  all  over  Virginia  for  that  matter. 

He  therefore  made  a band  of  outlaws  of  his  troops,  who 
took  everything  they  could  get  their  hands  on,  even  going  into 
the  dining  rooms  of  private  families,  when  they  were  at  meals, 
and  either  driving  them  from  the  table,  or  else  taking  what 
they  wanted,  and  if  they  saw  fit  in  their  mood,  destroying  the 

remaining  food. 

410 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


411 


W e could  give  account  of  tliis  brutality  from  the  hands  of 
one  of  the  Northern  men  who,  were  opposed  to  such  outrageous 
treatment  of  unprotected  and  n m-combatting  women  and 
children,  but  desist.  Another  one  of  this  “new  destroyer’s 
(Pope’s)  edicts  was,  that  all  Southern  persons  living  within  his 
lines,  must  either  take  the  oath  to  support  the  Lincoln  govern- 
ment or  perjure  themselves  (lie,  in  other  words),  and  upon 
being  detected,  were  to  be  hanged  like  spies. 

This  action  of  the  Invader-general  and  the  feeling  it  engen- 
dered, not  only  locally,  but  which,  through  sympathy,  spread 
to  all  portions  of  the  entire  Southern  country,  implanting  a 
d-'eply-rooted  I'esentment,  was,  in  a great  measure,  responsible 
for  the  Southern  people  declining  to  welcome  those  who  came 
South  from  the  North,  just  after  and  for  many  years  subse- 
quent to  the  war  for  Southern  independence. 

There  was  for  a long  time,  too,  another  fruitful  cause  for 
this  shrinking  from  giving  and  refusing  welcome  to  the  peo- 
ple who  came  down  from  the  land  of  the  former  Invader, 
namely,  the  manner  in  which  these  comers  or  visitors  con- 
ducted themselves.  There  was  the  Freedmen’s  Bureau,  a 
scandalous  scheme,  concocted  for  the  purpose  of  indirectly 
robbing  the  South ; its  agents  were  highly  offensive  to  the 
people.  Then  came  that  motley  multitude,  the  ubiquitous 
‘ Scallawag  ” the  pestful  locust  of  reconstruction  days.  These 
people  fired  the  negroes  to  acts  of  every  imaginable  crime  and 
deeds  of  violence  against  their  former  masters,  and  did  more 
devilment  and  created  more  real  discord  than  the  war,  in  some 
respects. 

Then  again,  there  came  a class  of  people,  and  some  who 
had  no  class,  that  conducted  themselves  after  a fashion  so  ob- 
noxious to  ■ Southern  people  that  there  was  no  possible  plan 
upon  which  a welcome  could  be  granted,.  We  refer  to  the  su- 
percilious, the  shoddy  upstarts,  who  imagined,  it  would  seem 
from  their  conduct,  that  they  considered  an  average  Southerner 
belonged  todhem,  and  that  the  South  was  merely  a side-show — 
that  the  “real  thing”  was  the  North,  and  that  they  would 
treat  the  Southern  people  as  dependants.  They  would  ask 
offensive  questions,  make  incendiary  remarks,  and  generally 


^12  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

insult  the  Soutliern  people.  There  could  be  no  welcome  for 
any  of  these  classes  or  indhdduals,  and  the  report  that  the 
South  was  dangerous  and  uninhabitable  for  Northern  people, 
and  was  to  be  shunned,  grew  out  of  these  conditions  for  not 
one  of  which,  the  Southern  people  were  responsible. 

Some  may  question  the  connnection  of  these  digressions 
with  a narrative  life-story  of  General  Thomas  Jonathan 
Jackson.  We  will  attempt  to  show  that  they  have  every 
claim  upon  any  story  connected  with  the  life-story  of  the  man 
who  loved  his  country  and  his  people  ; concerning  which  and 
whom  these  digressions  are  made;  and  that  their  relationship 
may  be  understood,  as  a part  of  the  life  of  this  patriot  whose 
life-story^  must  and  will  forever  be  a part,  and  a prominent 
part,  of  the  history  of  this  country  and  people,  we  shall  tell 
the  whole  story  of  the  conditions  that  existed  during  the  war, 
(which  he  and  thousands  of  other  Southern  men  deplored), 
and  of  the  conditions  that  grew  out  of  that  war,  and  wherebv 
his  country  and  his  people  were  not  only  distressed,  but,  for 
a generation  or  more,  affected ; and  by  the  twm  combined,  the 
history  not  only  of  America,  but  of  the  world  was  changed. 
In  these  causes,  who,  of  all  the  mighty  and  many  patriots  of 
the  South,  shares  with  nearer  concern,  and  whose  life-story' 
is  essentially  a more  important  part,  than  was  and  is  Jack- 
son’s? 

Could  this  patient  man  have  lived  to  see  the  post-bellum 
sufferings  of  his  people,  his  mighty  soul  would  have  rebelled. 
We  say  had  he  lived  to  witness  post-bellum  sufferings  (this- 
being  a condition  he  never  could  have  witnessed),  for  had  he 
lived,  post-bellum  sufferings  would  have  been  unknown  in  his 
country,  either  North  or  South,  East  or  West.  He  would 
have  been  President  of  the  Re-United  States;  and  as  such, 
given  peace  and  protection  to  every  inhabitant  within  its- 
borders.  God  be  praised  that  he  was  spared  the  pain  of 
seeing  people  come  with  contemptous  and  jeering  words  upon 
fields  where  the  blood  of  his  men  had  been  spilt  in  a cause 
as  sacred  to  him  as  his  life’s  faith  in  God.  This,  his  people- 
had  to  endure.  He  was  proud  of  his  country,  and  the  South- 
ern people  are  equally  proud  of  this  same  country.  Every 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


413 


field  upon  which  their  kindred  fell  in  defense  of  their  in- 
dependence is  sacred  to  them  ; and  any  one  who  visits  these 
fields,  and  wishes  to  see  where  valorous  men  planted  patriotism 
upon  the  soil  of  their  forefathers,  from  which  will  spring  the 
strength  of  chivalry  to  the  end  of  time,  will  find,  if  they 
come  reverently  to  look  upon  these  sacred  spots,  men  and 
women,  even  of  the  farthest  generation,  who  will  tell  them  of 
their  countrvmen.  But  if  they  come  even  in  the  day  of  gen- 
erations far  in  the  future,  and  attempt  to  desecrate  the  sacred 
ground  of  these  men  of  might  and  honor,  they  will  find  a re- 
buke that  can  not  be  other  than  just. 

The  Southern  people,  as  a people,  and  they  are  such,  are 
not  ashamed  of  any  act — not  one — connected  with  this  war  as 
committed  by  their  men.  The  day  will  come  when  the  grand- 
children of  Confederate  veterans  will  prepare  permanent 
homes  for  the  helpless  veterans,  in  addition  to  the  State  insti- 
tutions, and  provide  a permanent  fund  that  will  for  all  time  to 
come,  keep  the  marble  white  and  the  sod  green  above  their 
graves. 

When  we  hear  any  person  living  in  the  South  speak  re- 
gretfully of  the  war,  except  in  the  agony  of  its  horrors  and 
hardships,  or  attempt  to  apologize,  in  any  way,  for  the  part 
taken  by  the  South  in  this  greatest  of  all  wars,  we  cannot 
enter  into  such  sentiments,  and  are  ashamed  of  the  sympathy 
we  have  for  such  an  one.  There  is  yet  another  peculiarly 
distasteful  habit  among  certain  persons,  to  refer  to  any  act  of 
the  Southern  people  upon  affairs  of  the  Union,  when  such  act 
is  especially  non-sectional,  that  is,  for  the  whole  Union  to  at- 
tempt to  patronize  the  South,  and  congratulate  it  upon  such  con- 
duct. The  press  of  other  sections  were  panegyric  in  their  refer- 
ences to  the  South  and  her  course  during  the  Spanish- Ameri- 
can war.  The  South  has  ever  been  the  patriotic  section  of  the 
Union,  and  most  American  and  conservative.  It  is  as  sound 
on  truth  and  right  and  independence  as  all  the  rocks  ever 
named  in  history. 

Read  what  the  eminent  Hoar  of  Massachusetts,  the  vene- 
rable and  profound  statesman,  said  in  Charleston,  South  Caro- 
lina, a few  years  ago,  and  still  better,  what  he  said  in  his  own 


4H 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


State  (both  utterances  made  in  august  gatherings  of  representa- 
rive  people),  and  ponder  the  future!  Review  the  words  of 
the  lamented  ISIcKinley,  the  murdered  and  beloved  president, 
and  translate  to  your  soul  the  meaning  of  Jackson’s  life ! 

Senator  Hoar  said  in  an  address  before  a Massachusetts 
gathering  recently  ; “I  believe  if  every  man  of  the  North  were 
to  die,  the  South  with  the  virtues  it  has  cherished  from  thebe- 
ginning,  of  love  of  home,  love  of  State,  and  love  of  free- 
do*m ; with  its  courage  and  its  constancy,  would  take  the 
country  and  bear  it  on  to  the  achievement  of  its  lofty  des- 
tiny.” 

No  thoughtful  person  can  deny  that  there  is  distinctive 
climatic,  social  and  commercial  differences  in  the  sections 
of  the  United  States,  and  especially  so  as  touching  the  South. 
The  territory  of  the  United  States  is  more  vast  than  that  of  Eu- 
rope and  yet  there,  in  Europe,  are  found  peoples  widely  dif- 
fering. Different  peoples  settled  different  parts  of  America, 
ind  this,  with  the  fact  tliat  the  South  has  never  been  a sec- 
tion selected  for  immigration,  in  a popular  sense,  has  caused 
the  people  to  be  mainly  homogeneous. 

As  a matter  of  general,  original  settlement,  the  South  was 
settled  by  Huguenots,  the  Cavaliers,  Scotch  and  Irish;  the 
North  by  Puritans.  There  are  certain  strains  of  blood  and 
certain  conditions  that  will  make  the  people,  in  a sense,  resem- 
ble as  a people,  but  tire  climate,  the  ruling  traits  inherent,  the 
conditions  breathed  in  the  air,  taken  in  the  water,  seen  with 
che  eye — the  very  surroundings,  in  fact — will  make  a people 
as  prone  to  differ  as  the  “sparks  fly  upward.” 

Marriages  between  Southern  and  Northern  men  and  wo- 
men, commercial  and  economic  matters  will  draw  the  sections 
nearer  together,  but  there  will,  as  long  as  time  lasts,  be  that 
certain,  unnamed,  unseen,  but  ever  present  difference  between 
the  Southern  people  and  those  of  other  sectioip  that  neither 
the  pen,  the  sword,  the  brush,  the  orator  nor  the  blood  can 
change. 

The  roses  play  their  part,  the  honevsuckle  and  jasmine,  the 
magnolia  and  orange  blossoms  their  part,  the  mocking  bird 
its  part ; the  quick  winds  of  the  Vermont  hills,  the  trend 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  41:; 

of  traffic  and  ingenuity  of  the  East,  the  broad,  brilliant  finan- 
ciering of  the  North,  the  rugged  agriculture  of  the  West  and 
Middle  States,  will  play  their  part,  and  while  all  are  a part  of 
the  same  common  country  there  is  but  one  Vermont,  one 
Texas,  one  California,  one  Florida,  in  the  Union — -Regions 
dift'er;  influences  are  fixed. 

There  is  but  one  portion  of  the  Union  in  which  the  white 
and  black  races  can  live  in  comparative  harmony,  and  that 
is  the  South.  The  cotton  and  rice,  the  sugar,  fruits  and  melons, 
the  fish  and  fowls  of  the  South,  the  grain  and  cattle  of  the 
West,  the  strong  mixture  of  agriculture  and  manufacture  of 
the  jNIiddle  States,  the  commerce  and  skill  in  production  of 
manufactures  in  the  North  and  East,  will  make  the  Union. 

But  the  difference  in  mode  of  living,  the  effects  or  demands 
of  sun,  air,  water,  and  other  of  nature’s  forces,  will  give 
the  various  sections  peculiarities.  The  soft  accents  of  the 
Southern  people  is  the  result  of  climate,  as  demonstrated  by 
comparison  with  their  brothers  of  colder  latitudes,  where 
breathing  through  the  nostrils  has  developed  a nasal  accent. 
In  the  “mooted  energy  of  the  sections,”  it  must  be  remem- 
bered that  the  soft  winds  of  the  South-seas  bring  easy  returns 
for  scant  labor,  and  the  prevailing  heat  prevents  the  blood 
from  demanding  vigorous  exercise.  ’ 

Life  in  the  South  is  one  long,  continual  rest-day,  as  com- 
pared with  most  of  the  portions  outside  of  the  region  com- 
monly classed  as  the  Southern  tier  of  States.  The  struggle  for 
existence  in  colder  climates  shapes  the  temperament  of  the 
inhabitants.  Rich  soils  and  balmy  winds  do  not  call  for  the 
exertion  that  sterile  lands  and  rigorous  blasts  exact. 

The  peculiarities  of  each  section  is  as  much  a part  of  that 
section  as  other  possessions  are.  The  South  has  her  wealth 
in  her  fields,  in  her  mines  and  her  water-powers.  The'South 
is  destined  to  be  the  “Strong-box  of  the  Union.” 

The  South  has  survived  the  periods  that  seemed  as  “dark 
ages”  to  her  and  has  risen  as  clean  and  pure  from  the  ordeal  as 
she  rose  from  that  ill-proportioned  and  severe  struggle  of  1861 
to  1S65.  She  has  lived  to  send  her  sons  to  the  ranks  of  “blue” 
in  defense  of  the  country  of  which  she  has  ever  been  a part ; 


416 


StOKY  of  StONEVVALI.  IaCIvSON. 


and  therefore,  fought  those  who  undertook  to  make  her  any- 
thing else.  Her  men  are  amongthe  councilors  of  the  Union,  re- 
spected and  potential  as  are  others  among  the  foremost  of  the 
Union’s  soldiers,  and  her  people  are  moving  to  the  forefront 
in  all  organizations  in  which  the  States  take  part.  The  South  is 
the  South,  and  will  ever  be  ; and  will  assert  herself,  by  her 
men,  wherever  one  ‘‘places  his  shingle  or  bakes  his  bread.” 

All  this  and  all  that  will  come  will  not  disturb  that  which 
Jackson’s  life  made  glorious — the  memory  of  “those  days  when 
war  shrieked  and  desolation  stalked  throughout  her  borders.” 
Those  days  belong  to  memory,  to  the  descendants  of  the  men 
who  figured  upon  the  arena  of  all  that  made  an  epoch  for  Amer- 
ican history,  that  will  in  time  be  told  in  truth,  and  when  so 
told  will  but  add  new  lustre  to  Southern  honor  and  chivalry, 
patriotism  and  civilization. 

The  future  to  the  living;  the  past  to  memory  and  example; 
the  two  to  all  ages  ; one  and  inseparable,  in  all  that  makes  a 
citizenship  which  Jackson  and  the  heroes  of  those  days 
would  have  been  glad  to  shape,  in  the  name  of  GOD. 

There  is  a current  practice  among  some  enterprising  per- 
sons to  refer  to  the  South  as  the  “New  South.”  Is  there  a 
new  West,  new  East  or  new  North?  If  not,  why  should  there 
be  a new  South?  The  South  is  older  than  any  other  portion 
of  the  Union,  which  Union  her  sons  wrote  the  constitution 
to  form  and  the  laws  to  govern.  She  is  higher  in  dignity 
and  rights  of  age  than  any  apologist,  demagogue,  bigot  or 
jealous  fanatic  can  disturb  or  change. 

The  South  is  old;  old  in  history,  old  in  sacrifice,  old  in 
fame,  old  in  glory,  old  in  chivalry — old  in  all  that  goes  to 
make  up  a people  who  fear  to  do  wrong  and  dare  to  do 
right.  She  may  not  have  the  wealth  of  other  sections  but  her 
young  people  are  after  this  secret,  kept  in  the  wisdom  of 
Providence,  from  their  fathers  and  mothers,  and  will  yet  find 
it  and  vie  with  the  world.  She  w'as  once  a princess,  but  the 
furies  trifled  awaj^  her  possessions,  assuming  the  huma^i  freight 
(slaves)  of  her  cars  of  fortune  were  the  main  things  of  her 
affluence ; but  they  lost  the  way  to  the  regions  of  her  moun- 
tains, her  forests,  her  streams,  her  soils  and  her  .climate,  and 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jacksox.  41.7 

to-dav  she  is  waking  to  address  the  centuries  and  sound  in 
ringing  tones  the  fact  that  her  brave  sons  and  daughters,  with 
this  new  found  wealth,  will  lead  the  civilization  of  the  Uni- 
verse. 

The  South  lost  her  slaves  which  she  bought  from  other  sec- 
tions of  the  Union,  but  no  one  grieves  over  this,  save  in  the  man- 
ner and  the  lawlessness  of  her  neighbors  in  robbing  her  of 
them.  She  lost  billions  of  dollars  directly  in  this  one  article 
of  rightful  property  ; the  damage  to  her  industries  for  four 
years,  and  the  cost  of  internecine  war  for  four  years.  She  lost 
these,  but  she  lost  more — her  noble  men  who  are  moaned  by 
the  thousands  of  broken-hearted  wives,  mothers,  daughters, 
sisters,  and  kindred. 

Her  beautiful  abodes — mansions  and  homes — were  devas- 
tated and  despoiled  ; and  chaos  reigned,  when  her  few  remain- 
ing warrior-sons  returned  to  their  once  beautiful  and  prosper- 
ous homes. 

But  she  never  lost  her  honor,  her  courage,  her  social  laws, 
her  religious  habits,  her  traditions,  her  reverence  for  women, 
her  deference  for  the  aged,  the  simplicity,  gentleness  and  high 
■democracy  of  manners,  and  her  courteous  consideration  for 
the  civilities  of  life  that  has  made  her  famous  throughout  the 
world.  She  has  never  lost  her  grand  institutions,  social, 
moral  or  political.  She  went  to  war  and  returned,  pure  and 
exalted!  She  will  never  blush  to  own  her  cause,  her  deeds, 
her  sacrifices ! She  is  proud  in  her  defeat,  and  humble  only 
before  her  God.  A land  without  a stain!  For  such.  Jack- 
son  fought. 

* •if’  * 

In  addition  to  the  order  of  Pope,  which  forbade  any  citizen 
from  carrying  on  correspondence  under  penalty  of  death  and 
being  treated  as  a spy,  one  of  his  generals,  Steinwehr  di- 
rected that  influential  citizens  should  be  arrested  and  held  as 
hostages  for  the  good  behavior  of  the  others.  One  of  the  lit- 
tle pleasant  matters  for  which  these  hostages  should  suffer 
death,  as  per  that  person’s  orders,  was  holding  the  people  re- 
sponsible for  any  such  thing  as  an  accident  to  any  of  the  army 
of  the  Invaders.  It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  the  editor 


4i8 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


of  tlie  Blackwood' s Magazine  speaks  of  these  acts  of  Pope 
and  the  German  officer  as  “casting  mankind  two  centuries 
back.”  History  will  condemn  his  course. 

The  outrages  of  these  men  under  Pope  were  such  as  com- 
pelled him  to  issue  “Order  No.  107,”  in  which  he  made  it  a death 
penalty  for  a soldier  to  enter  any  or  take  private  property 
without  authority.  Virtuous  after-act,  but  it  is  never  too 
late  to  give  credit  to  those  who  forced  this  un-American 
army-commander  to  countermand  his  original  orders. 

Early  in  July,  1863,  we  find  Jackson  and  his  men  about 
Gordonsville,  and  the  men  enjoying  the  fruits  of  the  season, 
while  the  tired  horses  pastured  the  broad  fields  of  blue-grass 
of  that  fertile  country.  Jackson  spent  a while  at  Rev.  P.  15. 
Ewing’s,  where  he  made  a deep  impression  upon  all  by  his 
simple  and  devout  manners  and  his  unifonn  gentleness.  One 
of  the  little  girls,  a daughter  of  Mr.  Ewing,  was  very 
fond  of  the  General,  and  one  day  while  sitting  upon  his  knee 
asked  him  for  one  of  the  brass  buttons  on  his  coat ; he  told  her 
some  day  he  might  give  her  all. 

In  the  accounts  of  Jackson  it  has  been  written  that  he  sent  the 
famous  coat  so  familiar  to  his  men  to  this  little  child,  but  this 
is  not  correct.  Mrs.  Ewing  writes  that  the  family  had  many 
little  keepsakes  from  the  General,  but  the  coat  episode  is  an 
error. 

Mr.  Ewing,  speaking  of  the  prayers  of  Jackson,  said  there 
was  something  about  them  different  from  any  he  had  ever 
heard.  He  prayed  in  a very  impressive  manner,  deep-toned  and 
tremulous ; he  prayed  to  God  and  not  to  men.  In  his  prayers 
he  seemed  deeply  impressed  with  the  idea  that  the  glory  of 
success  of  his  men  belonged  to  God,  and  to  Him  must  be  given 
the  honor  and  glory  forev’er.  His  letters  show  the  same 
thought. 

On  an  occasion  he  and  some  officers  went  across  a corn-field 
belonging  to  a man  of  rather  severe  temper.  The  owner 
dashed  out  and  demanded,  in  towering  rage  and  abuse,  what 
they  were  doing  there,  and  their  names.  Jackson  replied: 
“My  name  is  Jackson.”  “ What  Jackson  ?”  “General  Jack- 
son.”  What — er — Stonewall  Jackson  ?”  “That  is  what  they 


Story  of  Stoxewatl  Jackson. 


419 


call  me.'’  The  man  took  off  his  hat  in  great  veneration  and 
said  : “General,  ride  all  over  my  fields,  sir,  do  whatever  you 
want  with  it,  sir!” 

Jackson  went  over  about  Louisa  Court  House,  as  the  place 
is  called,  and  the  terrible  strain,  the  eff'ects  of  the  exposure 
for  the  two  weeks  (the  whole  army  were  without  tents  in  tlie 
hot  sun  and  warm  nights),  and  the  fearful  privation  of  bat- 
tles, day  and  night,  for  days,  told  upon  him,  and  he  was  sicker 
than  at  any  time  since  he  was  in  Mexico.  He  revived  under  the 
happy  influences  of  that  charming  country. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


CEDAR  MOUNTAIN  BATTLE. FIRST  TIME  JACKSON  DREW 

HIS  SWORD  IN  BATTLE. SECOND  BATTLE  MANASSAS. 

CAPTURE  TWO  MILES  OF  TRAINS  LOADED  WITH 

SUPPLIES. MARYLAND  CAMPAIGN. — NEVER 

NEGLECT  THE  VETERANS. — WEALTH 
AND  CONSERVATISM  SOUTH. 

About  the  first  of  August,  Jackson  was  in  the  saddle  again, 
and  the  first  dash  the  boastful  Pope  made  at  Jackson’s  men 
was  ignominiously  repulsed.  This  was  at  Orange  Court 
House,  August  2d,  and  the  cavalry  under  Colonel  Win.  E. 
Jones,  an  old  West  Point  friend  of  Jackson’s,  drove  back  Pope’s 
cavalry.  Jackson  did  not  wait  for  the  Invader  to  get  into  po- 
sition, but  prepared  for  the  fight  by  taking  advantage  of  the 
mistakes  of  the  same.  The  battle  mf  Cedar  Run  Mountain 
was  a desperate  one;  by  some  called  “Slaughter  Alountain 
Battle.”  It  is  reported  that  Jackson  sent  General  Early 
the  following  order  which  opened  this  battle  : 

“General  Jackson  sends  his  compliments  and  says  advance 
on  the  enemy.” 

General  Early,  noted  for  his  rough  and  ready  manner,  re- 
plied to  the  courier:  “My  compliments  to  General  Jackson, 
and  tell  him  I will  do  it.”  (Other  words  were  sent,  but  do  not 
bear  repeating  nor  were  they  delivered  to  Jackson.) 

Pope  had  been  put  in  command,  he  must  do  something 
with  the  60,000  men  given  him,  win  all  the  distinction 
he  could,  and  be  promoted,  if  possible.  This  (military  pride,) 
by  the  way,  is  too  often  the  cause  of  a very  severe  and  un- 
necessary battle.  The  officers  crave  promotion,  and  are  either 
incautious  or  are  desperately  anxious  to  receive  promotion. 

One  of  Jackson’s  generals,  the  noble  Winder,  fell  while  per- 
sonally directing  the  fire  of  artillery.  He  was  struck  by  a 
cannon-ball  from  the  enemy. 

In  the  afternoon  the  fire  got  so  hot,  and  the  men  were  being 
driven  to  such  an  extent  that  Jackson  rose  above  the  din  of 

the  furious  battle,  one  of  terrific  fire  of  musketry  and  ar- 
420 


Story  of  Stoxewalr  Jackson 


4-1 


tillery,  and  drawing  his  sword — the  first  time  he  ever  drexv  his 
szvord  in  battle — rushed  forward  and  shouted  to  his  men. 
as  in  a fury:  “Rally,  brave  men,  press  forward!  Your  gen- 
eral will  lead  you.  Jackson  will  lead  you.  Follow  me!’ 
(These  are  his  own  words  repeated  by  one  of  his  staff.)  When 
Jackson  took  this  determined  stand,  the  men  were  being 
routed  by  the  overwhelming  enemy,  but  they  quickly  rallied, 
and  getting  to  position  where  they  could  stand  up  under  the 
fire  of  the  enemy,  they  met  them  with  a deadly  volley  whicli 
was  repeated  until  the  enemy  broke. 

Then  came  the  tug  of  war.  The  enemy  being  repulsed 
time  and  again,  hurled  new  regiments  down  upon  the 
Defenders  and  nearly  overrode  them  with  their  cavalry, 
but  they  all  recoiled  at  the  deadly  fire,  of  the  Defenders  who 
drove  them  back.  Once  the  Invaders  were  broken  and  the  rout 
begun,  the  “Rebel  Yell”  was  raised  and  victory  was  theirs. 
On  they  chased  the  enemy  through  fields  of  growing  corn, 
until  a full  retreat  was  assured. 

On  they  rushed  toward  Culpepper  Court  House,  where 
Pope  himself  was,  and  had  there  been  enough  daylight  left, 
his  whole  army  would  have  been  routed. 

Jackson  gathered  about  him  some  of  his  staff  and  rode 
toward  the  rear.  He  tried  to  get  somewhere  to  sleep  in  a 
house  as  he  was  not  well  and  the  hot  August  sun  and 
fighting  all  day  had  greatly  fatigued  him.  Seeing  all  the 
houses  filled  with  the  wounded,  he  would  not  consent  to 
turn  them  out ; and  so,  being  overcome  with  exertion,  he  threw 
himself  down  on  the  ground,  without  supper,  and  went  to 
sleep. 

Jackson  frequently  had  nominal  headquarters  in  houses,  but 
preferred  to  sleep  outdoors  and  seldom  would  sleep  in  a 
house.  He  followed  this  course  during  his  entire  army  ex- 
perience. 

The  next  day  was  devoted  to  burying  the  dead,  and  also  the 
wounded  men  were  provided  for,  receiving  the  personal  at- 
tention, when  possible,  of  Jackson.  On  the  second  dav 
Pope  sent  a flag  of  truce  to  Jackson,  for  the  privilege  of  bury- 
ing his  dead.  General  Early  was  put  in  charge  of  the  field. 


4--’ 


6tory  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


and  he  counted  seven  hundred  of  the  enemy’s  dead  and 
this  number  was  double  that  of  the  Southern  soldiers.  The 
enemj"  had  engaged  in  the  battle  over  double  the  number  of 
Jackson’s  men. 

The  Invaders  detailed  for  this  duty,  burying  the  dead,  were 
impressed  by  General  Early  riding  around  over  the  field  alone, 
and  remarked  that  their  generals  were  ostentatious  and  timid. 
“Look  at  old  Early,”  they  said,  “riding  among  his  enemies  of 
yesterday — that  General  without  a single  guard ! If  that  was 
one  of  our  generals  [they  called  their  generals  “mutton-head- 
ed”], he  would  want  a regiment  at  his  heels  to  defend  him 
from  unarmed  men.”  It  is  estimated  the  Invaders  lost  in 
killed  and  wounded  nearly  five  thousand. 

In  front  of  one  of  the  points  where  the  Southern  soldiers 
fought,  there  were  so  many  dead  that  one  of  the  Invader  gen- 
erals spoke  of  the  place  as  a “slaughter-pen.”  He  had  been  a 
butcher  by  trade,  and  the  words  were  familiar  to  him.  One 
point  about  the  battle-field  will  be  mentioned — its  narrowness. 
Jackson  always  selected  narrow  fields  to  fight  in.  The  entire 
length  of  the  field  where  the  fighting  was  done  was  less  than 
a mile.  The  tactics  are  clear.  Jackson  at  no  battle,  could 
hope  to  have  as  many  men  as  the  enemy,  and  he  would  not  per- 
mit himself  to  be  drawn  into  a vast  field  and  whipped  in  de- 
tail. 

Jackson  pronounced  this  battle.  Cedar  Mountain,  the  great- 
est of  all  his  work  up  to  that  time,  but  in  his  report  officially  he 
simply  wrote:  “August  ii,  6.30  a.  m.  On  the  evening  of  the 
9th,  God  blessed  our  arms  with  another  victory.  We  have 
captured  over  four  hundred  prisoners,  with  General  Price. 
We  have  collected  about  one  thousand  and  five  hundred  small 
arms  and  ordnance  stores.”  Banks’s,  Sigel’s,  McDowell’s 
commands  were  the  ones  Jackson  fought ; making  the  third 
time  he  defeated  them. 

Another  feature  of  this  desperate  battle  is  the  fact  that  the 
Invaders  claimed  it  as  a victory  on  the  pretext  that  Jackson 
retired  after  two  days  from  that  section.  Why  could  they 
not  have  attacked  Jackson  in  these  two  days.?  They  had  re- 
ceived thousands  of  reinforcements,  and  General  Stuart,  know- 


Story  of  Stonewalt  Jackson.  423 

ing  this,  told  Jackson,  who  after  waiting,  went  back  to  Gor- 
donsville. 

The  results  of  the  battle  were  that  of  keeping  Pope  from 
carrying  out  his  plans — get  into  Gordonsville,  cut  the  railroad 
and  balk  Jackson — wdrich  would  have  effected  also  breaking 
communication  of  Southern  forces, and  thus  allowing  him  by  do- 
ing so  ample  time  for  joining  his  forces  with  other  Invader  for- 
ces and  proceeding  to  crush  Jackson’s  army  if  possible.  Again 
and  still  better,  had  not  one  of  Jackson’s  division-commanders 
failed  to  march  twentv-five  miles,  instead  two  miles,  he  would 
have  been  able  to  have  struck  the  enemy  on  the  8th,  instead  of 
the  9th,  as  he  was  forced  to  do  by  the  delay  ; and  could  he  have 
struck  the  enemy  on  the  Sth,  he  would  have  destroyed  him  as 
his  (the  enemy’s)  reinforcements  arrived  about  dark,  and  be- 
fore these  I'einforcements  arrived  Jackson  would  have  been 
on  McDowell  at  Fredericksburg  and  destroyed  him. 

Pope  wired  to  his  government  at  Washington,  from  a point 
far  from  the  Cedar  iSIountain  Battle  : “I  go  to  the  front  to 
see.”  Some  jocular  Defenders  remarked,  “He  has  not  reached 
the  front  to  this  day.”  This  Verrucosus  of  the  North  was 
overtaken  by  the  Southern  Hannibal,  who  never  indulged 
in  cunetator ! 

In  such  teiror  was  Jackson  and  his  men  held  by  the  troops 
of  the  Invading  army,  that  it  was  something  like  a threat  of 
punishment  to  taunt  the  men  with  Jackson’s  coming;  or 
rather  exposing  them  to  Jackson’s  fiery  attacks.  The  Scottish 
mothers  threatened  their  children  when  unruly  with  Black 
Douglas,  and  so  Jackson  was  a Black  Douglas  to  the  North. 
But  one  only  in  the  sense  of  terror,  for  a more  humane  man 
never  lived. 

During  these  times  of  almost  constant  war,  Jackson  found 
little  time  in  which  to  write  his  wife.  On  the  28th  of  July  he 
wrote  her,  asking  to  be  forgiven  for  short  letters,  and  ex- 
plaining that  with  his  duties  and  the  constant  demand  on  his 
time  from  officers  and  others,  he  could  get  only  a moment  now 
and  then.  In  this  letter  he  says:  “A  Christian  should  not 
complain.  The  Apostle  Paul  said,  ‘I  glory  in  tribulations!’ 
What  a bright  example  for  others  ! 


4-4 


Storv  of  v^toxewali  Jackson 


On  the  death  of  the  commaiider.  General  Winder,  of  his 
old  brigade  (the  Stonewall  Brigade),  who  fell  at  the  battle  of 
Cedar  Run  Mountain,  he  wrote  a touching  letter.  He  felt  the 
loss  of  the  noble  man,  and  had  for  him  a sincere  affection. 
He  writes  ; “I  can  scarcely  think  of  the  fall  of  Brigadier-Gen- 
eral AVinder  without  tearful  eyes.  Let  us  all  unite  more  earn- 
estly in  imploring  God’s  aid  in  fighting  our  battles  for  us. 
‘If  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be  against  usr’  ” He  appointed 
August  14th  as  a day  to  be  set  apart  to  render  thanks  to  God 
for  the  deliverance  in  battle  and  the  success  of  the  Defen- 
ders’ arms. 

The  movements  now  show  that  Pope,  while  claiming  a vic- 
tory, was  crying  for  reinforcements ; and  the  papers  Stuart’s 
men  captured  from  him  the  night  they  surprised  his  camp  and 
caused  him  to  run  and  leave  his  coat,  also  his  money,  horses, 
and  all  the  staff,  proved  this.  Burnside  was  sent  for,  and 
left  North  Carolina,  where  his  command  was  stationed, 
McClellan  was  called  for,  and  left  his  place,  Berkeley,  below 
Richmond. 

Around  the  fatal  Manassas,  the  coils  of  war  were  again 
being  drawn.  The  details  of  the  second  battle  of  IManassas, 
more  sanguinary  than  the  first,  have  many  incidents  of  grave 
interest,  but  we  can  only  mention  a fe\j"  of  the  details  that  are 
prominent,  such  as  the  brilliant  raids  of  cavalry  around  the 
enemy  the  grand  success  of  midnight  marching,  and  the  mas- 
terful stroke  of  dividing  the  Defenders’  forces  so  as  to  strike 
the  Invaders’  army,  which  was  more  powerful  than  the  joint 
armies  of  Lee  and  Jackson,  then  divided ; the  all-night 
march  among  the  enemy  everywhere  about,  and  Jackson’s 
rapiditv  of  movement,  as  he  must  get  behind  Pope  and  on  to 
Manassas,  to  capture  the  stores  of  the  enemy  before  daylight, 
as  the  enemy  would  destroy  or  move  them,  when  they  found 
they  were  to  be  attacked. 

This  latter  was  a hazardous  move,  and  called  for  volunteers. 
General  Trimble  (whom  we  remember  as  the  gentleman  who 
asked  Jackson  questions  at  Harper’s  Ferry  in  the  first  part  of 
the  war,  and  learned  who  and  what  manner  of  man  Jackson 
was,  there  and  then)  took  command  of  the  two  regiments  that 


Jackson  and  his  men  wading  the  Potomac  River  at  White’s  Ford  (en  route  to  Marjdand.) 

Copyright  by  the  Century  Co.,  .886. 


i 


Libbev  Prison,  Richmond.  (One  of  the  most  famous  militarj'  prisons  in  histor}'  ) 
Kindness  of  Confederate  Veteran. 


Prison-Pen. 


[ ■*  Who  will  write  the  ‘ Prison-side  of  war  life  ’ from  ’6i  to  ’65.^’ 
Some  soldier  should  undertake  this  task  for  sake  of 
history. — Author.] 

Kindness  of  the  “ Confederate  Veteran.” 


Invaders  running  their  ammunition  trains  into  the  Chickahominy 
Copyrig’ht  by  the  Centurv  Co.,  1SS7. 


(2.^) 


Foraging  and  Camp  Cooking. 

(From  Confederate  Soldier  in  the  Civil  War  ) 


“ Needn’t  argifj — the  Hog’s  Ourn.” 
Meet  and  Meat. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jacrson  439 

were  willing  to  risk  the  perilous  journey.  These  were  the  2ibt 
North  Carolina  and  the  21st  Georgia,  another  brave  and 
famous  body  of  men.  Stuart’s  cavalry  with  their  commander 
went  along.  A raid  was  too  rich  a thing  for  the  average  cav- 
alryman to  resist.  Several  times  on  this  fifty-six  miles  march 
- of  Jackson’s  men,  on  the  great  flank  movement,  there  was  a ne- 
cessity for  silence;  a few  days  before,  Jackson  had  to  request 
“no  cheering  boys,  they  might  hear  us,”  and  as  he  would  pass 
along  the  line,  the  men  would  hold  their  hands  on  their  mouths 
and  smile  cheers  to  him  with  their  hats  off.  At  one  point 
they  passed  Jackson,  and,  as  he  stood  silently  watching  them 
in  the  twilight,  their  hats  lifted,  he  exclaimed,  “Who  could 
not  conquer  with  such  troops  as  these?”  A brave  man  every 
one  loves ! 

The  troops  with  Trimble  and  Stuart  got  through  all  right, 
and  such  a capture  ! It  dazzled  them.  The  whole  army  (Lee’s 
and  Jackson’s)  had  been  subsisting  on  green  apples  or  corn 
roasted  or  boiled  and  such  other  food  as  they  could  manage  to 
pick  up,  as  the  march  was  severe  and  no  time  was  lost  to  cook, 
even  if  they  had  had  anything  to  cook. 

The  following  will  give  an  idea  of  what  these  brave  night- 
marchers  got  for  their  comrades  : storehouses  filled  with  bacon, 
flour,  beef,  and  nearly  everything  that  the  Southern  soldiers 
did  not  have — even  luxuries.  They  captured  two  miles  of 
cars  loaded  with  supplies.  This  was  likely  more  than  the 
South  had  in  her  whole  territory  from  Texas  to  Virginia,  and 
yet  here  this  rich  market  and  storehouse  on  wheels  stood 
ready  for  the  boastful  Pope  and  his  men.  They  also  captured 
two  hundred  and  fifty  horses,  three  hundred  prisoners  and  eight 
field-pieces.  To  this  capture.  Pope  turned  with  great  solace 
when,  after  three  days  fight,  his  army  was  defeated  and 
routed  at  Second  Manassas,  and  gave  as  his  excuse  that  his  army 
iiad  been  deprived  of  their  “daily  bread.”  Southern  officers 
never  gave  such  a feast  to  their  men,  or  excuse  to  their  gov- 
ernment. 

An  incident  occurred  during  one  of  the  hampering  attacks 
the  Invaders  made  on  Jack.son,  which  were  frequent,  and 
done,  as  he  detected,  not  for  the  purpose  of  engaging  him 


43°  Stoky  of  Stoxewall  Jacksox. 

in  regular  battle,  but  to  delay  liirn.  Tliere  was  a dash  made 
by  the  Invaders,  which  all  saw  was  made  by  a blunder,  and 
yet  as  this  was  war,  and  war  is  bloody,  particularly  when  the 
attack  is  a surprise,  the  Southern  soldiers  fired  a deadly  volley 
into  the  confident  cavalry. 

Jackson  himself  went  alone  at  the  risk  of  his  life,  raised  a 
handkerchief  as  a flag  of  truce,  betokening  his  wish  to  spare 
them.  The  thanks  he  received  for  this  act  of  humanity  was 
a more  determined  attack  by  the  enemy  who  were  ungrateful 
enough  to  take  advantage  of  the  Southern  soldiers  ceasing  in 
their  fire.  This  made  Jackson  furious,  and  he  ordei'ed  the 
firing  to  be  resumed,  and  but  few  of  the  enemy  were  left  to 
tell  the  story  of  this  event. 

In  reading  of  this,  the  second  battle  of  Manassas,  or  “Bull 
Run,”  as  the  battle  is  called  by  the  Invaders,  there  is,  as  we 
have  said,  much  of  interest,  but  we  have  given  so  much  of 
Battle  detail,  ft  is  not  considered  necessary  to  go  over  matters 
and  details  that,  while  somewhat  differing,  are  in  the  aggre- 
gate very  similar,  as  far  as  their  bearing  upon  the  subject  of 
the  book.  Some  one  said  to  Jackson  once,  “All  your  battles 
and  your  telegrams  arealike.”  Meaning  of  coin-se,  all  his 
battles  were  victories. 

Jackson  commanded  a corps  made  of  divisions  of  brigades 
and  regiments,  and  fought  on  the  right  at  the  second  Manas- 
sas battle,  and  was  joined  often  in  closest  quarters  with  the 
enemy. 

AVe  read  thrilling  accounts  of  the  artilleiy  of  the  Defenders, 
and  of  the  carnage  when  the  Invaders  would  engage  Jack- 
son’s or  Longstreet’s  men.  Of  the  fighting  at  night — day 
battles  are  horrible,  but  night  battles  are  more  gruesome. 
Dr.  McGuire,  chief  surgeon  to  Jackson’s  command,  I'elates 
that  when  he  told  Jackson,  “This  day  has  been  won  by  noth- 
ing but  stark  fighting,”  he  replied,  “No,  it  has  been  won  by 
nothing  but  the  blessing  and  protection  of  Providence.” 

Also  we  read  of  the  advance  of  vast  reinforcements  to  the 
Invaders,  and  how  the  flower  of  cavaliers,  “Jeb  .Stuart,” 
seeing  the  danger,  had  his  men  cut  a lot  of  cedar  and  other 
small  trees,  and  tying  them  to  their  horses,  rushed  along  the 


Story  of  Stone y all  Jackson. 


431 

dusty  roads  to  make  a tremendous  dust,  and  thereby  cause 
the  enemy  to  think  that  Jackson  and  Longsti'eet  were  getting 
reinforcements.  Completely  fooling  the  enemy  by  this  brush. 
he  caused  them  to  flee,  and  thus  spared  many  lives  for  both 
sides. 

We  read  of  the  final  climax  when  Jackson  decided  the  hour 
had  arrived  for  the  grand  advance  with  ball  and  bayonet,  and 
Lee,  seeing  the  effect  of  this  move,  ordered  the  right — Long- 
street’s  corps — to  follow  the  same  plan.  This,  however,  was 
not  necessary , for  that  grand  fighter,  Longstreet,  and  his  gallant 
men  had  rushed  on  the  enemy  after  the  fashion  of  their 
brothers  and  comrades.  The  field  looked  like  some  tornado  had 
swept  it  and  laid  low  the  men  in  front  of  the  yelling  con- 
querors. 

We  see  General  S.  D Lee,  of  South  Carolina,  with  his  ar- 
tillery sending  iron  through  the  ranks  of  the  foe,  and  Shu- 
maker and  others  doing  likewise.  The  enemy  broke  and 
rushed  wildly  from  the  field  in  all  directions. 

In  the  deep  railroad  cut  we  see  them,  the  Defenders,  strug- 
gling under  almost  tropical  heat  of  an  August  sun,  with  their 
antagonists  and  Starke's  men  fighting  vjith  stones — their  am- 
munition having  given  out — they  stood  this  test,  they  drove 
their  adversaries  back.  We  see  fi'esh  lines  of  blue  coats 
rush  madly  upon  the  gray'Coated  lines,  thin  and  soiled,  only 
to  be  hewn  down  by  the  musketry  of  the  reinforcements. 
The  Invaders  were  fighting  desperately,  and  success  for  a 
time  seemed  to  be  promised  their  arms,  when  the  Defender’s 
artillery  opens  again  upon  them,  and  finally  the  rout  follows, 
and  the  long,  wild  rush  of  yelling  victors,  slaughtering  the 
men  who  had  invaded  their  country  to  destroy  it.  Popfe  lost 
about  30,000  and  the  Defenders  about  7,000. 

From  the  blunderings  of  the  Invaders  and  the  bitter  cor- 
respondence between  several  of  them  long  after  the  war,  it 
seems  that  General  Porter  was  right  when  he  telegraphed 
Burnsides  that  “no  one  in  the  army  seems  to  know  what 
they  are  doing,”  and  “all  the  talk  about  bagging  Jackson  is 
bosh.”  Had  the  Southern  men  made  such  blunders,  with  the 
few  men  and  fewer  resources  at  their  disposal,  their  victori- 


43^  Story  or  Stonewall  Jackson. 

ous  battles  could  never  have  been  fought,  let  alone  won. 
Strange  to  relate,  there  will  ever  be  confusion  as  to  many  of 
the  battles — how  they  were  fought  and  won,  and  various  de- 
tails concerning  them.  Books  have  been  written,  reports 
piled  upon  reports,  both  sides  claiming  this,  that  and  the 
other,  and  all  the  reader  can  learn  is  the  results  of  the  bat- 
tle in  “cold  facts”  from  official  records  which  time  will  never 
change  or  writers  alter. 

One  fact  must  not  be  lost  sight  of,  and  it  is  this  : the  delay 
in  attacking  Pope  was  caused  by  Jackson  not  being  heeded. 
On  August  i8th  Jackson  wanted  to  move  against  the  enemy. 
He  knew  the  importance  of  time  and  danger  of  the  move- 
ments of  the  army  being  told  to  the  Invaders  by  the  fleeing 
negroes  and  others,  and  he  was  right  in  his  conjectures,  for  sev- 
eral negroes  ran  away  and  went  to  Pope  and  informed  him  of 
important  matters  connected  with  the  Defenders’  movements. 

Jackson’s  reports  show  that  he  did  hard  fighting,  that  he 
was  sent  after  the  battle  to  follow  up  the  enemy,  and  routed 
them.  Pope  resigned,  after  failing  to  see  much  of  the 
enemy’s  back,  and  after  casting  all  the  blame  on  others  he 
went  to  the  Northwest  where  his  reputation  was  anything  but 
savory.  Jackson  writes  his  wife  on  September  ist,  the  day 
after  the  final  rout  from  beyond  Manassas,  “God,  in  his  provi- 
dence, has  again  placed  us  across  the  Bull  Run,  and  I pray 
that  He  will  make  our  arms  entirely  successful,  and  that  the 
glory  will  be  given  to  Him,  and  none  of  it  to  men,  God 
blessed  and  preserved  me  through  His  great  mercy.” 

A few  incidents  of  this  second  battle  of  Manassas,  or 
“Bull  Run,”  as  it  is  called  by  the  Federals,  are  related  here  to 
illustrate  the  influence  of  Jackson  over  his  men  and  the  force 
of  example.  During  the  night  of  the  second  day’s  fight,  the 
men  gathered  around  in*  groups  and  gave  thanks  for  their  de- 
liverance and  praised  their  Heavenly  Father  for  His  merciful 
protection.  Many  of  these  brave  men  the  next  night  were 
beyond  this  vale  of  sorrows,  their  worship  was  held  beyond 
the  stars,  and  their  eyes  beheld  this  earth  that  night  for  the 
last  time. 

jManv  were  the  men  who  met  in  time  of  war,  joined  in 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


433 


these  prayer-meetings  in  their  various  camps  and  carried  heavy 
hearts  to  the  throne  on  high,  as  they  thought  of  their  loved 
ones  far  away  and  the  dangers  of  the  coming  day.  With 
hearts  nearly  bursting  in  their  longings  once  more  to  see  the 
face  of  a child  or  a wife,  a mother  or  aged  father  or  some  dear 
one,  they  gave  again  to  their  country  a most  imperishable  and 
priceless  legacy,  their  sacred  love  of  duty,  and  their  devotion 
to  the  rights  of  their  fathers — independence. 

To  forget  these  men  now,  in  the  strength  of  a growing  fam- 
ily of  descendants,  is  to  deny  the  heritage,  and  turn  from  every 
privilege  involved  in  our  very  blood  and  life  and  honor.  Never 
forget  these  men,  or  the  cause  for  vohich  they  died.  Honor 
them  and  their  cause  as  you  honor  the  memory  of  your  an- 
cestors. Hold  every  act  of  their  courage  and  sacrifice  as  a 
treasure  to  comfort  you  in  life  and  transmit  to  others,  that 
they  in  turn  may  tell  the  glorious  story  to  their  children. 

Let  the  centuries  sound  their  names  with  quickening  pride 
and  affection.  Raise  monuments,  universities,  memorials, 
and  go  on  forever  building  to  their  memory  that  you  may  honor 
the  blood  that  flows  in  your  veins,  coursing  down  to  you  from 
their  life-blood,  as  pure,  as  brave  and  as  glorious  as  ever 
pulsed  in  a human  heart.  God  bless  their  memory ! 

Many  men,  too,  clung  to  their  dear  old  flag,  and  risked  their 
lives  long  after  they  began  to  lose  hope  in  their  power  to  over- 
come the  ever-increasing  numbers  of  fresh  troops  that  were 
put  in  the  field  by  the  Northern  government  with  the  money 
at  its  command,  and  all  the  great  wealth  in  the  North,  which 
the  South  had  aided  in  building  up.  The  end  was  anticipated 
by  the  private  soldier  with  as  much  fortitude  of  spirit  and 
clearness  of  reason  as  by  any  officer.  More  credit  is  due  these 
men  for  their  sacrifices  when  it  is  known  that  they  measured 
the  situation  with  calm  perspicuity,  but  would  consent  to  no 
terms  of  peace  save  those  of  honor. 

At  one  time  at  the  Second  Manassas,  the  danger  about  the 
artillery  was  so  great  that  it  required  volunteering  among 
men  not  in  the  artillery  to  get  the  powder  from  the  ammu- 
nition wagons  to  the  cannons.  This  was  a very  dangerous  un- 
dertaking, for  the  slightest  spark  would  have  exploded  the 


434 


Story  of  Stonewatl  Jackson. 


powder,  which  was  kept  in  small  bags.  The  fire  of  the 
■sharpshooters  is  nearly  always  aimed  at  cannoneers,  and 
rherefoi'e  this  post  is  dangerous  and  adds  to  the  hazardness 
of  handling  the  ammunition  and  exposure  in  the  work,  all  of 
which  makes  this  arm  of  the  war  service  heavy  and  taxing. 

These  men  of  Jackson’s  corps  had  marched  about  fifty  miles 
in  two  days,  under  a hot  August  sun,  and  climbed  steep  hills. 
They  would  go  anywhere  “two  men  could  get  toe  hold.”  It 
IS  said  an  army  can  travel  any  path  two  men  abreast  can  move 
on,  but  Jackson  moved  through  fields  and  side-roads  to  save 
distance  and  time.  The  thought  and  care  for  the  comfort  and 
safety  of  his  men  always  filled  his  heart.  The  negroes  would 
say,  “Alars  Jackson  take  de  nigh  cut  ebry  time.”  Some  of  these 
nen  were  sons  of  princely  planters,  but  they  marched  in  the 
■anks  with  the  sons  of  the  poor  and  never  murmured.  To  their 
eternal  credit  let  it  be  said,  the  Southern  soldier  e^idured 
hardships  without  a murmur^  when  they  felt  that  the  hard- 
ships or  “trouble”  was  a part  of  their  duty,  and  could  not  be 
avoided  by  the  authorities. 

Alarching  to  fight  is  different  from  marching  away  from  a 
fight.  As  the  South  was  on  the  defensive,  the  Defenders  had 
i great  deal  of  “marching  to  fight”  on  their  programme.  In 
' his  campaign,  the  railroads  were  in  the  hands  of  the  Invaders, 
and  the  Defenders  captured  two  trains  by  placing  logs  on  the 
tracks.  One  train  escaped  which  they  attempted  to  capture 
by  firing  upon  it. 

The  capture  of  stores  in  Second  Alanassas  campaign  was  a 
blessing  to  the  Defenders,  most  of  whom  were  poorly  clothed 
and  many  were  ragged.  The  prejudices  of  the  early  days  of  the 
war  against  color  of  clothes^  as  to  their  utility,  had  disappeared. 
Chen  too,  many  were  barefooted,  while  others  were  nearly 
so  and'Alanassas’  stores  gave  some  relief,  but  not  to  all.  An 
account  has  been  given  of  Jackson’s  sleeping  after  the  hard 
battle  of  the  day,  lying  down  with  the  men  on  the  ground. 
He  sat  at  the  base  of  a tree,  his  cap  drawn  down  over  his 
eyes,  his  hands  folded  over  his  breast,  sleeping  like  a tired 
child.  Before  daylight  and  before  the  men  had  a mouthful  to 
eat,  he  rose  and  taking  his  position  at  tire  head  of  his  column. 


Storv  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


435 


went  to  drive  his  adversary.  Pope,  from  the  position  he  at- 
tempted to  take,  after  being  run  out  of  Manassas. 

After  many  occasions  being  passed  by,  and  the  “golden 
opportunity’’  being  lost,  the  time  came  when  Jackson’s 
long  asked  for,  and  never  granted  privilege  to  invade  the 
enemy’s  countrv  was  decided  upon ; and  he  went  at  the  task 
with  perfect  faith,  although  he  must  have  felt  that  as  so  many 
chances  had  been  carried  bv,  and  his  words  not  heeded,  that 
the  present  was  not  his  invasion  entirely. 

One  feature  of  the  present  move  spurred  Jackson,  and  that 
was  the  fact  that  Virginia  would  be  for  a time  relieved  from 
the  burden  of  two  armies  upon  her.  He  had  driven  every  In- 
vader from  her  soil,  that  is  to  sa3%  all  he  was  confronted 
with.  The  feat  of  going  into  the  enemj-’s  countrj’ was  praised 
b_v  the  whole  South  as  a retaliation  for  the  untold  and  un- 
numbered wrongs  perpetrated  all  over  her  territory  b}^  the 
Invaders. 

Tennessee,  Florida,  Louisiana,  Mississippi,  Georgia,  the 
Carolinas,  Alabama  and  Texas,  had  their  male  population 
thousands  of  miles  from  their  homes,'  fighting  in  Vir- 
ginia, the  West  and  elsewhere,  while  they  were  subject  to 
devastations,  in  one  form  or  another. 

In  this  move,  invasiojt  was  not  to  take  the  form  of  injur- 
ing  private  property.  Lee  issued  most  direct  and  positive 
orders  against  the  merest  hint  of  pilfering  or  molesting  the 
property  or  people  in  the  country  to  be  entered,  that  any 
property  taken  must  be  paid  for.  He  also  assured  the  peo- 
ple of  Mar^'land  to  this  effect. 

Three  days  after  Jackson  had  routed  Pope,  he  was  in  the 
saddle,  and  his  men  were  on  their  way  to  Maryland ! All 
seemed  to  take  the  bright  and  happy  face  of  their  commander 
as  a sign  of  satisfaction,  and  the}'  stepped  like  a conquering 
army  along  the  road  leading  to  Maryland.  All  along  the 
route  they  w'ere  cheered  and  fed,  and  the  next  day,  the  5th  of 
September,  as  they  waded  the  Potomac  River,  Jackson  took 
off  his  cap  and  waved  it,  while  the  band  played  “Alaryland.” 
The  men  took  up  the  refrain  and  the  song  echoed  through 
the  glens  on  both  sides  of  the  historic  stream. 


436  Story  or  Stonewall  Jackson. 

Many  of  the  men  who  cheered  that  day,  as  they  landed  on 
the  soil  of  Alaryland,  never  re-crossed  the  river,  but  are  sleep- 
ing under  the  sod  of  that  “divided  State.” 

Jackson  came  near  losing  his  life  that  day.  A citizen  of 
Maryland  presented  him  with  a handsome  horse  of  the  Dutch- 
Norman  breed,  and  the  animal  becoming  frightened,  reared  and 
falling  backward,  would  have  crushed  his  rider  but  for  his 
skill  as  a horseman. 

One  of  the  first  things  done  was  destroying  the  canal  to  cut 
off  that  means  of  communication.  The  B.  & O.  Railroad  was 
taken,  and  this  done,  he  moved  on  to  the  town  of  Frederick, 
Alaryland,  and  as  he  entered,  some  girls  hissed ; he  turned  to 
a staff  officer  and  said,  “We  do  not  appear  to  have  many 
friends  here.”  Jackson’s  humor,  of  which  he  had  a vein  of  a 
rare  quality,  was  of  the  spontaneous  and  quaint  type. 

Jackson  issued  almost  severe  orders  in  regard  to  straggling, 
and  in  fact  his  police  system  was  so  complete  that  the  presence 
of  his  army  was  scarcely  realized  by  the  citizens.  He  also  in- 
cluded in  his  orders  a very  strict  regulation  in  regard  to  the 
treatment  of  the  citizens.  The  contrast  between  the  ' South- 
ern troops  when  they  went  beyond  the  Potomac  was  decidedly 
different  to  the  conduct  of  the  Northern  troops  when  they 
came  below  the  Potomac.  The  citizens  of  Alaryland  all  ap- 
preciated this  difference,  and  it  is  part  of  the  history  of 
that  march  into  Alaryland. 

In  spite,  however,  of  the  splendid  and  most  civilized  conduct 
of  the  Southern  troops  when  in  Maryland,  this  fact  did  not 
alter  one  whit  the  hatred  that  existed  everywhere  in  the 
North  against  the  South  at  that  period,  and  had  for  years  be- 
fore, and  did  afterwards.  This  hatred  seemed  to  be  blind, 
stark,  clear,  clean  and  bitter  hate.  It  was  not  confined  to 
any  set  or  class,  but  extended  to  all  classes  and  conditions. 
In  a sense,  it  has  no  period,  as  it  appears  to  be  co-equal 
with  the  period  of  American  history  since  the  days  of  the 
colonies  even. 

The  commercial  intercourse  and  a more  rational  view  of  the 
South’s  future  and  strength,  together  with  that  plastic  me- 
dium, called  money,  and  its  dependences,  is,  to  an  extent. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  4'j7 

allaying  some  of  the  more  foolish  fears  and  jealousies,  and  the 
time  is  coming  when  business  people  will  leave  off  the  sectional 
bickering.  The  immense  wealth  of  the  South,  natural  and  ap- 
plied, the  fact  that  there  is  produced  something  like  one 
billion  and  five  hundred  million  dollars’  worth  of  wealth  in  the 
South  yearly,  and  that  her  manufacturers  are  competing  in 
every  market  of  the  world,  will  bring  sentimentalists  and  sen- 
sationalises to  a different  frame  of  mind,  whether  it  changes 
their  hearts  or  not.  Money  and  self-interest  will  settle  the 
outward  looks  and  allay  much  of  the  imaginary  friction.  The 
South  will  soon  begin  to  keep  a majority  of  its  money  within 
the  South,  and  this  done,  there  will  be  a balance  of  power  as 
well  as  a balance  on  the  right  side  of  ledgers  in  the  South. 
With  the  level-seeking  of  trade,  some  kinds  of  patriotism  and 
hatred  gravitates  amazingly  well. 

We  do  not  deem  any  apology  necessary,  as  before  stated,  for 
the  frequent  references  made  in  these  pages  to  the  South  and 
Southern  affairs  and  the  various  political  and  other  bearings 
and  effects  different  events  of  the  war  had  upon  the  South,  or 
would  be  likely  to  have.  Nor  do  we  feel  that  we  can  over- 
write the  side  of  the  South,  as  far  as  Jackson’s  part  in  its  his- 
tory is  concerned. 

Jackson  suffered  every  privation,  fought  and  died  for  the 
South,  and  he  referred  to  the  war  as  being  '■'■the  second  war 
for  our  Independence y He  was  forced  into  a strictly  sec- 
tional view  of  the  Union,  as  soon  as  he  saw  the  “Peace  Con- 
gress” prove  a fiasco.  The  South  was  to  Jackson,  his  coun- 
try. We  hold  that  in  a life-narrative  of  Jackson,  such  refer- 
ences to  the  South  and  Southern  affairs  are  germane,  and  no 
one,  reasonably,  can  make  them  incongruous,  to  the  full  treat- 
ment of  the  subject.  All  such  matters,  subjects  and  references 
are  essentially  a part  of  the  career  of  Jackson,  in  reviewing 
his  life  career  as  a part  of  the  history,  and  a very'  large  part 
at  that,  of  the  South.  Therefore,  when  we  essay  to  do  a little 
boasting  on  the  part  of  the  South,  w^e  somehow  can  not  escape 
the  delightful  sensation,  that  we  are  talking  about  the  country 
for  which  one  of  the  greatest  men  in  all  history — and  many 
consider  him  the  greatest — died. 


43^ 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


The  conditions  to-day  that  enable  the  people  of  the  reunited 
country  to  meet  and  join  in  the  common  cause  of  making  a 
greater  Union  were  made  possible  by  the  life  of  Jackson  and 
his  example.  He  taught  us  to  love  the  South,  and  stand  by 
her  fortunes,  with  our  lives,  if  need  be ; and  the  country  for 
which  he  labored,  in  peace  and  war,  will  honor  his  memory 
most  by  making  a land  worthy  the  sacrifices  of  so  good  and 
great  a man  as  Jackson,  and  of  men  who  fought  in  the  same 
colors  with  him. 

Lee’s  entering  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania  brougiit  out  the 
bitterness,  fury,  bigotr}^,  arrogance,  and  hate  in  the  entire  North. 
Hired  men,  foreigners,  aliens,  and  what-not  could  be  hurled 
upon  the  South  by  brigades,  and  every  “vestige  of  life  there, 
swept  as  if  by  typhoons,”  and  the  sorrow,  grief  and  death  of 
the  Southern  brothers  and  sisters  bear  no  place  in  the  minds 
of  these  frantic  fanatics  ; but  once  the  Southern  troops — Amer- 
icans all — entered  the  land  beyond  the  Potomac,  war  was  de- 
clared, proclaimed  and  denounced  as  brutal.  War  suddenly 
became  heinously  outrageous,  and  Southerners,  more  than  ever, 
savage  and  barbarous  cutthroats ; and  Lee  and  his  men  were 
classed  as  a mob  eager  for  rapine  and  murder,  arson  and 
pillage.  (Not  a man  in  his  entire  army  was  guilty  of  either 
charge.) 

The  women  raged,  ranted,  and  furiously  hurried  their  men, 
in  holy  horror,  into  the  ranks  of  the  loyal  followers,  literally 
pushing  them  into  the  army,  and  as  fast  as  they  could  bo 
found  and  equipped  they  were  scurried  to  the  ranks.  In- 
tensely is  the  old  saw  about  the  ox  illustrated  in  this  rapid, 
revolt  as  soon  as  they  got  a taste  of  a mild  raid  on  their  own 
“geog-raphy.” 

As  a military  measure  the  trip  of  Lee’s  army  into  Maryland 
and  Pennsylvania  was  a dismal  and  burdensome  failure.  The- 
step  was  ill-timed,  and  only  served  to  weld  the  people  together, 
who  were  wavering  in  their  sentiments  on  the  subject  of  aiding 
the  South.  The  time  to  have  made  this  move  was  long  before 
it  was  made.  The  first  battle  of  M anassas  was  a victory  for 
the  South,  the  second  was  also,  but  then  time  and  delay — 
worse  than  Napoleon’s  delay  at  Hougoumont — had  made  the- 


Story  of  Stoxewatl  Jackson. 


439 


North  vastly  stronger  and  more  bitter.  The  move  was  a j^o- 
litico-military  dream. 

The  foes  of  Jackson  came  on,  but  Lincoln  began  to  fear  for 
the  safety  of  the  ‘‘capital,”  and  stopped  McClellan  in  his 
march.  General  McClellan  was  a man  of  fine  ability  and  a 
gentlemen  of  excellent  parts,  as  were  many  of  the  officers  and 
men  in  the  army  of  the  Invaders.  ^Ve  have  not  heard  com- 
plaints of  the  personal  conduct  of  these  men,  especially  Gen- 
eral McClellan.  He  was  treated  by  his  government,  it  ap- 
pears, more  as  a body-guard  for  the  “capital,”  than  as  a gen- 
eral commander  of  a great  army  should  have  been  treated. 
His  memory  will  never  be  scorned  in  the  South. 

After  the  Southern  army  reached  Maryland,  and  a council 
of  war  was  held,  Jackson  was  selected  to  take  the  lead  and 
go  by  Harper's  Ferry;  and  others  were  ordered  to  take  various 
routes  and  go  into  Alaryland.  As  he  neared  Harper’s  Ferry 
he  found  it  heavily  garrisoned,  and  at  once  prepared  to  take  it 
by  force. 

Fie  had  with  him  Pender,  A.  P.  Hill,  Walker,  IMcLaws. 
Lawton,  and  the  artillery  of  Paogue,  Carpenter,  and  Crutch- 
field. The  final  arrangements  having  been  made,  which  show 
much  ability,  a vigorous  attack  was  made  on  the  enem)-,  and 
on  the  15th  of  September,  the  Defenders  took  a portion  of  the 
Invaders  prisoners.  This  capture  consisted  of  something  over 
eleven  thousand  men — they  also  took  seventy-three  pieces  of 
artillerv,  a number  of  stands  of  arms,  a large  number  of  horses, 
wagons  and  other  stores  and  supplies,  also  ammunition,  etc. 

Immediately,  without  receiving  the  surrender  in  detail,  they 
started  back  for  the  main  work  in  hand ; and  that  was,  the  ap- 
proaching shock  of  arms,  as  the  enemy  was  advancing — leav- 
ing A.  P.  Hill  to  accept  the  surrender,  in  form  and  detail. 
(These  prisoners  were  paroled.) 

The  army  marched  all  day  and  night,  and  by  next  day,  Tues- 
day, September  i6th,  about  noon,  was  with  Lee  at  Sharpsburg, 
Maryland.  Was  not  Jackson  the  great  man  of  the  war? 

On  the  night  of  the  i3th,  McClellan  came  into  Frederick, 
Maryland,  having  found  that  Lee’s  army  was  gone.  Ilere 
happened  that  which  caused  the  loss  of  many  a human  life. 


44°  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

and  defeated  all  the  hopes  of  Jackson  and  the  deep-seated 
plans  of  strategy  of  the  ever-great  Lee  and  his  generals. 

By  a mishap  that  has  never  been  explained,  a copy  of  Lee’s 
orders  and  plans  were  lost,  and  fell  into  McClellan’s  hands. 

Plans  of  campaigns  are  worked  out  by  maps,  personal  ob- 
servation of  the  country,  a complete  list  of  every  path  ev'en, 
each  stream  and  every  detail  of  the  entire  country  for  miles. 
Then  the  forces  of  both  armies  in  detail  are  considered  in 
every  phase.  Arrangements  have  to  be  made  for  escape,  in 
case  of  being  overwhelmed  ; also  plans  to  keep  in  close  com- 
munication with  all  departments — the  medical,  commissary 
and  ordnance. 

The  plans  of  the  enemy  have  to  be  weighed.  Here  is  the 
rub.  No  one  knows  what  the  enemy  is  going  to  do,  unless  a 
prisoner  be  captured  or  a picket,  a spy  or  some  one  from  the 
enemy’s  camp  ; and  they  often  know  nothing  or,  worse,  will 
lie.  When  McClellan  found  these  papers,  he  was  completely 
in  the  dark  as  to  the  plans  of  his  old  friend.  General  Lee,  but 
who  was  now  his  adversary. 

At  once,  after  finding  this  most  valuable  document — more 
valuable  likely  than  any  paper  lost  during  the  entire  war — he 
knew  Lee’s  plans  in  full.  No  time  was  lost  in  Laving  Wash- 
ington and  Lincoln  informed  not  to  fear  any  immediate  attack. 

This  brought  all  the  Northern  troops  from  around  Wash- 
ington “that  could  be  spared,”  and  gave  the  enemy  a tremen- 
dous advantage.  Lee  knew  nothing  of  the  loss  of  the  orders 
and  plans,  and  consequently  this  threw  his  operations  into 
confusion  in  some  respects,  as  he  was  surprised  more  or  less 
at  the  sudden  sagacity  and  confidence  of  the  ehemy,  who  had 
shown  everything  but  either  of  these  in  the  past. 

But,  as  stated,  no  time  was  lost  to  call  all  the  Northern 
troops  to  the  place  selected  by  Lee  as  his  rendezvous.  They 
did  not  have  all  the  matters  their  way,  for  McLaws  held  the 
mountain  pass  at  Crampton’s  gap,  and  though  the  advancing 
enemy  stormed  this  hold  and  passed,  they  were  met  in  the 
valley  and  their  course  turned,  causing  them  to  lose  a day  in 
reaching  McClellan. 

Next  came  D.  H.  Hill’s  gap,  the  Boonsborough  gap.  He 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  441 

held  the  enemy  back  until  the  Southern  troops  could  concen- 
trate at  the  point  selected  by  General  Longstreet,  then  came  to 
Hill’s  rescue  and  held  the  onset  till  after  night ; then  at  night  he 
moved  to  Sharpsburg,  followed  at  a “respectful  distance”  by 
the  enemy,  which  Fitzhugh  Lee  made  to  “grope  very  cau- 
tiously.” 

That  a man  of  McClellan’s  purity  of  character  should  give 
such  big  figures  when  guessing  at  the  enemy’s  forces,  im- 
presses upon  us  again  that  excitement  and  exaggeration  are 
inseparable  and  in  war  matters  are  numerical  fertilizers. 
He  usually  put  them  at  from  three  to  six  times,  and  even 
higher  than  their  real  numbers,  or  size,  as  he  did  when 
reporting  the  Southern  forces  at  Sharpsburg. 

Sharpsburg  is  a burg  merely  in  name,  and  was  then  a cluster 
of  farmers’  houses.  Battles,  like  babies,  are  often  named' by  ac- 
cident. It  must  be  a noun.  If  a battle  is  fought  near  a church 
it  is  called  by  the  name  the  church  bears ; if  near  a mill, 
tavern,  creek,  river,  or  hamlet,  it  takes  the  name  of  the  same, 
though  usually  it  bears  the  name  of  the  nearest  town.  A con- 
siderable amount  of  confusion  is  caused  by  the  Northern  gen- 
erals having  named  the  battle  after  one  place,  thing,  or 
object,  and  the  Southerners  giving  the  same  battle  an  entirely 
different  name. 

The  battle  of  Sharpsburg  was  fought  on  the  i6th  and  17th 
of  September,  1862.  It  is  generally  believed  that  between 
twenty  and  thirty  thousand  men  on  both  sides  combined  were 
either  killed,  wounded,  or  missing.  Conflicting  accounts 
of  the  battle  are  given,  but  the  generally  accepted  one  is  that 
the  two  days  were  divided  between  Lee  and  McClellan  ; each 
winning  a day.  The  reports  sent  to  Washington  are  not  true 
in  many  respects.  For  instance,  they  refer  to  their  skirmish 
battles  as  reconnaissances — these  are  not  made  with  seventy 
pieces  of  cannon,  as  one  report  has  it. 

This  word  was  used  to  try  and  cover  up  a complete  failure 
of  a plan.  Another  plan  of  reporting  was  to  hide  blunders; 
hence  when  Jackson  was  selected  by  Lee  to  save  the  army 
from  being  crushed  by  its  tremendous  adversary,  and  this  ad- 
versary undertook  to  overstep  prudence,  Jackson  filled  the 
Potomac  River  with  their  bodies,  estimated  at  three  thousand. 


Stouy  of  Stonewall  Jackson, 

After  crossing  the  river — which  was  done  under  fire,  and 
while  in  camp  four  miles  on  the  road  to  Martinsburg — it  was 
reported  by  Colonel  Pendleton  to  him  that  the  enemy  after 
night,  had  surprised  his  (Pendleton’s)  battery  and  taken  all  his 
artillery. 

At  no  time  during  the  war  did  Jackson  display  more  anx- 
iety than  now.  He  at  once  had  Hill  (A.  P.)  to  go  and  re- 
capture the  guns,  also  going  in  pei'son  to  join  this  night  bat- 
tle. Across  the  river,  just  opposite  the  Pendleton  guns  were 
seventy  pieces  of  the  enemy’s  artillery  pounding  away  at 
Hill’s  men,  and  those  who  had  come  across  the  river  fought 
to  keep  the  guns  they  had  taken.  But  Jackson’s  men  were  not 
of  the  material  that  artillery  could  balk,  and  they  charged  and 
captured  their  cannons  from  their  antagonists.  These  can- 
nons cost  the  Northern  army  a big  loss — three  thousand 
men. 

On  his  way  to  Maryland,  Jackson  passed  through  Lees- 
burg, Virginia,  where  a lady  came  into  the  street  and  threw 
a handsome  scarf  down  before  his  horse.  Jackson  was  con- 
fused and  stopped,  but  when  an  officer  told  him  that  the  lady 
wanted  him  to  ride  over  it,  he  smiled  and  rode  on,  lifting  his 
cap  in  acknowledgment  of  the  honor.  Jackson’s  fame  in 
the  Valley  was  such  that  when  he  reached  Martinsburg,  on 
his  route  to  Maryland,  the  ladies  and  the  whole  town  extended 
him  a most  cordial  and  distinguished  fete  of  welcome  and 
greetings. 

A large  number  of  ladies  got  around  him,  some  pleading 
for  a lock  of  his  hair,  others  for  a strand  of  “Little  Sorrel’s” 
mane  or  tail  (many  clipped  both).  Enthusiastic  young 
ladies  simply  tinbuttoned  his  coat  by  stripping  the  garment  of 
every  button.  He  took  the  demonstration  good  naturedly, 
and  laughingly  said  : “Really,  ladies,  this  is  the  first  time  I 
was  ever  surrounded  by  the  enemy.”  He  finally  contrived  to 
escape  afterwards,  and  a lady  compassionately  sent  him  a 
card  of  new  buttons  for  his  coat. 

As  the  troops  crossed  the  river,  Jackson  sat  on  his  horse  for 
hours  in  the  stream.  All  the  wounded  were  being  moved,  and 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson 


443 


■not  a man  was  left  who  could  stand  the  fatigue  of  being 
moved.  He  would  not  leave  the  stream  until  the  last  man 
had  crossed,  and  all  the  army  belongings  were  on  the  Vir- 
ginia shore.  So  fatigued  was  Jackson  that  he  slept  while  he 
rode,  and  two  of  his  staff  held  him  on  his  horse,  riding  be- 
side him  while  he  slept. 

An  incident  of  the  kindness  of  Jackson  is  related  at  the 
closing  of  this  brief  and  brilliant  but  resultless  cam- 
paign. An  old  woman  came  into  the  camp  inquiring 
for  “John;”  she  said  he  was  in  “Jackson’s  company.” 
The  young  officers  were  making  sport  of  the  old  creature, 
when  Jackson  rebuked  them  and  made  them  find  “John,” 
whoW'as  restored  to  the  loving  arms  of  his  simple-hearted  old 
mother. 

The  incidents  and  anecdotes  of  this  Maryland  campaign 
are  briefly  touched  upon  in  order  that  the  part  Jackson  took  in 
the  IMeteoric  Invasion  into  Maryland  may  be  noted.  From 
Lee’s  order  it  will  be  seen  that  Jackson’s  plan  was  not  fol- 
lowed. Jackson’s  plan  of  invading  the  enemy’s  country 
was  to  go  into  the  country  of  the  real  enemy  and  strike  their 
cities,  and  thus  lay  tribute  of  surrender  instanta  ; but  not  at- 
tempt to  shift  battle-fields  from  Virginia  to  some  point  across 
the  Potomac  River. 

Jackson  could  not  have  felt  much  hope  of  recruiting  in 
Maryland.  That  State  had  sent  excellent  material  to  the 
Southern  armies,  but  in  the  two  years  of  open  opportunity  to 
contribute  as  a general  sympathizer  with  the  South  no 
desire  had  been  shown  in  this  direction  on  her  part. 
There  had  been  talk  of  co-operating,  which  Lee’s 
order  plainl}^  shows  'was  his  impression  and  understanding. 
Some  said  his  order  was  a ruse.  Scorn  upon  such  a sugges- 
tion ! He  was  as  incapable  of  an  act  of  that  nature  as  an  in- 
fant. No  fault  can  attach  to  Lee  or  Jackson  as  far  as  results 
are  concerned.  At  most  it  was  an  incursion  predicated  upon 
a sentiment  born  of  misdirected  hope  and  incorrect  informa- 
tion. 

The  loss  of  Lee’s  orders  exposed  his  plans  as  far  as  fighting 
was  concerned,  and  after  he  saw  "he  situation  in  Maryland,  in 


■444 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


the  matter  of  sentiment,  he  soon  realized  that  thanks  were  not 
numerous,  except  in  individual  cases,  and  that  the  people  as  a 
mass  did  not  welcome  him. 

Jackson  had  captured  eleven  thousand  men  at  Harper’s 
Ferry,  and  paroled  them,  and  also  captured  great  army  stores, 
but  outside  of  this  nothing  seems  to  have  been  gained. 

The  destruction  by  fire  of  the  medical  and  surgical  records  of  the 
Confederate  States,  deposited  in  the  Surgeon-General’s  oifice  in  Rich- 
mond, Virginia,  in  April,  1865,  renders  the  roster  of  the  medical  corps 
somewhat  imperfect,  hence  the  need  of  concerted  action  on  the  part  of 
the  surviviors  to  bridge  this  hiatus.  The  official  list  of  the  paroled  of- 
ficers and  men  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  surrendered  by  Gen- 
eral R.  E.  Lee  April  9,  1865,  furnished  310  surgeons  and  assistant  sur- 
geons. 

In  my  first  report,  presented  at  the  Richmond  reunion,  I showed  that 
the  medical  roster  for  the  Army  of  Tennessee  had  been  preserved  in 
duplicate.  I shall  offer  in  a more  detailed  report  data  to  prove  more 
indisputably  important  facts  relating  to  the  prisoners  of  war  upon  both 
sides  with  the  purpose  of  establishing  the  death  rate  responsibility  in 
the  premises.  It  will  suffice  to  mention  here  that  the  report  of  Mr. 
Stanton,  Secretary  of  War,  on  the  19th  of  July,  1866,  exhibits  the  fact 
that  of  the  Federal  prisoners  in  Confederate  hands  during  the  war  only 
2,570  died,  while  of  the  Confederate  prisoners  in  Federal  hands  26,436 
died.  This  report  does  not  set  forth  the  exact  number  of  prisoners  held 
by  each  side  respectively. 

These  facts  were  given  more  in  detail  by  a subsequent  report  by  Sur- 
geon-General Barnes,  of  the  United  States  army. 

The  whole  number  of  Federal  prisoners  captured  by  the  Confederates 
and  held  in  Southern  prisons  from  first  to  last  during  the  ."ar  was,  in 
round  numbers,  270,000,  while  the  whole  number  of  Confederates  cap- 
tured and  held  in  prisons  by  the  Federals  was  in  like  round  numbers 
only  220,000. 

From  these  two  reports  it  appears  that,  with  50,000  more  prisoners 
in  the  Southern  stockades,  or  other  modes  of  confinement,  the  deaths 
were  nearly  4,000  less ! According  to  these  figures,  the  percentum  of 
Federal  deaths  in  Southern  prisons  was  under  9,  while  the  percentum  of 
Confederate  deaths  in  Northern  prisons  was  over  12. 

These  mortuary  statistics  are  of  no  small  weight  in  determining  on 
which  side  there  was  the  most  neglect,  cruelty  and  inhumanity,  pro- 
claiming, as  they  do,  a loss  of  more  than  3 per  cent,  of  Confederates 
over  Federals  in  prisons,  while  the  Federals  had  an  unstinted  command 
of  everything. 

There  is  in  my  keeping  unchallenged  evidence  to  demonstrate  that  the 
refusal  to  exchange  prisoners  was  not  due  to  the  Confederate  govern- 
ment. 


Jackson  at  Battle  of  Fredericksburg. 


JACKSON  AND  DR.  McGUIRE 
On  Nig’.it  of  Battle  of  Fredericksburg.  Wh}' ! “Shoot  them  !” 


I lie  Hoinbiuxlineiil  ol  I' rcdcricksl)iirf>;?l)('c. , ’6j,  (()n(‘()l  llic  most  (errilic  artillery  liriiye' during;  the  war,  and  on  (he  l)irth-]ilaec  of  Washi 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


449 


The  loss  had  been  heavy  from  the  first,  and  officers  and  men 
went  down  not  by  hundreds,  but  thousands.  They  had  fought 
with  matchless  courage  ; and  this  they  had  done  in  Virginia  time 
and  again.  Any  attempt  to  play  the  game  of  war  as  a game 
of  “swap  checkers,”  was  a loss  in  the  start  to  the  Southern 
' side ; for  the  North  could  put  ten  men  in  the  field  for  every 
one  the  South  killed. 

There  was  but  one  possible  blunder  in  the  campaign,  and 
that  was  not  taking  immediate  advantage  of  the  capture  and 
parole  of  the  army  at  Harper’s  Ferry.  Jackson  always  wanted 
a war  of  aggression,  sharp,  swift  and  decisive.  A slow  war 
must  essentially  exhaust  a weak  power  against  a strong  one. 
This  capture  at  the  Ferry  won  for  Jackson  even  greater  fame 
than  he  hitherto  possessed  at  the  North,  and  his  advance  im- 
mediately would  have  paralyzed  the  North. 

Lee  had  a combined  force  of  33,000  or  less,  to  fight  87,164 
(likely,  in  fact,  over  100,000).  Lee  was  poorly  equipped, 
his  adversary  thoroughly  equipped  in  every  essential  of  war- 
fare. Lee  was  short  of  ammunition  and  provisions ; Mc- 
Clellan was  burdened  with  it.  Lee’s  men  were  half  starved, 
w'ent  into  the  battle  on  empty  stomachs,  many  eating  half- 
ripe  apples  while  fighting.  (Apples  in  that  section  are  of  the 
variety  principally  known  as  winter  apples  and  do  not  ripen 
till  late  in  the  fall.)  In  addition  to  all  of  these  difficulties,  his 
plan  and  papers  upon  the  battle  and  campaign  had  been  ex- 
posed to  his  enemy’s  sight  by  being  lost  from  the  custody  of 
the  Confederate  generals. 

General  McLaws,  of  Georgia,  relates  that  he  and  Jackson 
were  talking  on  the  Sharpsburg  battle-field,  when  a shell 
struck  a courier  standing  near,  and  broke  his  leg,  it  then  fell 
between  him  and  Jackson,  and  they  looked  at  it,  but  it  did 
not  explode.  Jackson  remarked,  “They  seem  to  be  getting  our 
range,”  and  then  he  rode  away,  much  to  the  relief  of  all.  He 
came  again  and  said  ; “God  has  been  kind  to  us  to-day;  press 
the  enemy  on  the  left!” 

Whittier’s  “Barbara  frietchie.” 

“On  that  pleasant  morn  of  the  early  fall, 

When  Lee  marched  over  the  mountain  wall, 


450  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

Over  the  mountains  winding  down, 

Horse  and  foot  into  Frederick  town, 

Forty  flags  with  their  silver  stars. 

Forty  flags  with  their  crimson  bars. 

Flapped  in  the  morning  wind;  the  sun 
Of  noon  looked  down,  and  saw  not  one. 

Up  rose  old  Barbara  Frietchie  then. 

Bowed  with  her  fourscore  years  and  ten; 

Bravest  of  all  in  Frederick  town. 

She  took  up  the  flag  the  men  hauled  down. 

In  her  attic  window  the  staft’  she  set. 

To  show  one  heart  was  loyal  yet. 

Up  the  street  came  the  rebel  tread, 

Stonewall  Jackson  riding  ahead. 

Under  his  slouched  hat,  left  and  right 
He  glanced;  the  old  flag  met  his  sight. 

‘Halt!’  The  dust-brown  ranks  stood  fast. 

‘Fire  !’  Out  blazed  the  rifle  blast ; 

It  shivered  the  window,  pane  and  sash  ; 

It  rent  the  banner  with  seam  and  gash. 

Quick  as  it  fell  from  the  broken  staff. 

Dame  Barbara  snatched  the  silken  scarf; 

She  leaned  far  out  on  window  sill, 

And  shook  it  forth  with  a royal  will. 

‘Shoot,  if  you  must,  this  old  gray  head 
But  spare  your  country’s  flag,’  she  said. 

A shade  of  sadness,  a blush  of  shame 
Over  the  face  of  the  leader  came  ; 

The  nobler  nature  within  him  stirred 
To  life  at  that  woman’s  deed  and  word. 

‘Who  touches  a hair  of  yon  .gray  head. 

Dies  like  a dog  1 March  on,’  he  said. 

Honor  to  her!  And  let  a tear 

Fall,  for  her  sake,  on  Stonewall’s  bier.” 

Alas,  for  the  poet ! That  rude  hands  should  have  to  sweep 
away  this  dramatic  fabrication,  which  his  many  admirers  have 
so  long  regarded  as  drawn  from  life.  But  we  have  been  told 
by  members  of  General  Jackson’s  staff  that  this  pretty  story 
was  a fabrication.  This  is  confirmed  by  Dame  Barbara’s  own 
nephew,  Valerius  Ebert,  of  Frederick  City,  Maryland,  who 
writes  as  follows  to  a Northern  paper  : 

“As  to  the  waving  of  the  Federal  flag  in  the  face  of  the 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  451 

rebels  by  Dame  Barbara  on  the  occasion  of  Stonewall  Jack- 
son’s march  through  Frederick,  truth  requires  me  to  say  that 
Stonewall  Jackson  with  his  troops  did  not  pass  Barbara 
Frietchie’s  residence  at  all,  but  passed  through  what  in  this 
city  is  called  ‘‘The  Mill  Alley,”  about  three  hundred  yards 
from  her  residence,  then  passed  due  west  towards  Antietam, 
and  thus  out  of  the  city.  But  another  and  still  stronger  fact 
with  regard  to  this  matter  may  be  here  presented,  namely, 
the  poem  by  Whittier  represents  our  venerable  relative  (then 
ninety-six  years  of  age)  as  nimbly  ascending  to  her  attic  win- 
dow and  waving  her  small  Federal  flag  defiantly  in  the  face 
of  Stonewall  Jackson’s  troops.  Now,  Dame  Barbara  was  at  the 
moment  bed- ridden  and  helpless  and  had  lost  the  power  of  loco- 
motion. She  could  at  that  period  only  move,  as  she  was 
moved,  by  the  help  of  her  attendants.  These  are  the  facts, 
proving  that  AVhittier’s  poem  upon  this  subject  is  pure 
fiction.  ” 

Another  convincing  suggestion  that  may  be  hazarded  as  a 
bare  quietus  upon  this  romantic  poem  is  the  fact  of  a bed- 
ridden old  lady  having  in  her  invalid  apartments  a flag  ready  to 
flaunt  at  a foe  whose  coming  was  as  unthought  of  as  the  ad- 
vent of  Lee’s  army  was  a surprise  to  the  town  of  Frederick. 

And  again,  apart  from  the  most  unnatural  act  on  the  part  of 
a man  of  Jackson’s  military  dignity  and  gentlemanly  inde- 
pendence, which  makes  his  shooting  at  some  sentimental  ex- 
hibition in  shape  of  a flag  hanging  from  a private  residence 
absurdly  unreal,  and  apart  from  the  additional  truth  that 
Southern  men  are  not  given  to  trifling  and  making  vain  at- 
tempts to  trample  upon  feeble  things,  the  denial  of  the  whole 
mythical  incident  is  scarcely  necessary. 

For  several  weeks  the  army  had  rested  from  its  ardu- 
ous and  depressing  experiences,  since  leaving  Port  Republic  ; 
and  Jackson  wrote  several  letters  all  showing  his  gratitude 
and  humble  praise  to  his  God  for  preserving  him  in  all  the 
battles  through  which  he  had  passed  and  for  the  victories  his 
men  had  won.  He  refers  to  the  Bible  class  and  Thanksgiving 
Day,  which  he  could  not  enjoy  as  he  was  in  battle.  He  was  a 
life  member  of  the  Bible  Society  of  the  Confederacy. 


452  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

He  also  refers  to  several  presents  that  had  been  made  him, 
among  them,  some  socks  Miss  Osburn,  of  Jefferson,  had  sent 
him;  some  cakes  Mrs.  Graham,  of  Winchester,  had  sent ; a 
chair  Mr.  Vilwig,  of  the  same  place,  had  sent  him,  and  which 
he  says  he  wished  he  could  keep  until  the  close  of  the  war  and 
take  it  home  with  him.  The  season  was  one  of  much  beauty 
and  delight,  being  autumn ; the  command  was  near  Win- 
chester. 

On  the  nth  of  October  he  received  his  commission  as  Lieu- 
tenant-General, Longstreet  being  placed  in  charge  of  one 
corps  as  Lieutenant-General  and  he  in  charge  of  the  other 
corps.  A corps  has  four  divisions  of  several  brigades.  His 
corps  consisted  of  men  from  all  parts  of  the  South,  as  his  com- 
mand was  made  up  at  Cedar  Mountain,  Antietam  or  Sharps- 
burg.  The  divisions  were  commanded  by  Early,  Taliaferro, 
and  the  two  Hills,  A.  P.  and  D.  H. 

Although  this  was  a season  of  rest,  he  did  not  rest,  as  he 
busied  himself  in  getting  clothing,  hats,  and  shoes  for  his  men. 
They  had  no  blankets,  or  very  few. 

By  diligence  and  perseverance  many  of  the  needed  articles 
were  obtained  for  the  soldiers,  but  the  quality  was  not  equal 
to  the  regular  army  standard  by  any  manner.  His  main  con- 
cern was  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  men.  In  all  the  busy 
days  of  marching  and  in  the  long,  trying  marches  he  never 
permitted  religious  exercises  to  be  omitted  if  circumstances 
would  in  any  possible  way  permit.  He  would  talk  with 
many  of  his  men  personally  upon  their  spiritual  well-being, 
when  they  would  come  to  him,  and  the  prayer-meetings  and 
evening  talks  in  which  he  would  sometimes  join  were  features 
of  the  camp-life  much  enjoyed  by  most  of  the  men. 

One  night  an  officer  called,  and  when  he  was  about  to  leave 
Jackson  asked  him  to  sit  longer;  then  came  up  a conversa- 
tion based  on  a sermon  they  both  had  heard  recently  and 
which  had  impressed  Jackson.  He  had  written  his  wife  upon 
the  subject,  fully.  During  this  conversation  with  the  officer 
he  said  ; “Nothing  earthly  can  mar  my  happiness.  I know 
that  heaven  is  in  store  for  me,  and  I should  rejoice  in  the 
prospect  of  going  there  to-morrow.  Understand  me  ; I am 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


453 


not  sick,  I am  not  sad  ; God  has  greatly  blessed  me,  and  I have 
as  much  to  love  here  as  any  one,  and  life  is  very  bright  to  me. 
But  still  I am  ready  to  leave  it  any  day  without  trepidation 
or  regret  for  that  Heaven  which  I know  awaits  me  through 
the  mercy  of  my  Heavenly  Father. 

“I  would  not  agree  to  the  slightest  diminution  of  one  shade 
of  my  glory  there”  (here  he  paused  as  if  to  consider  what 
terrestrial  measure  he  might  best  select  to  express  the  large- 
ness of  his  joys), — “no,  not  for  all  the  fame  which  I have  ac- 
quired, or  shall  ever  win  in  this  world.” 

Glorious  tranquility.  This  speech,  in  its  sublimity  of  sub- 
mission and  faith,  deserves  a place  in  the  books  of  record  that 
testify  to  Christianity  and  the  loyalty  of  those  whose  mighty 
hearts  are  worth  while  considering,  as  representing,  in  their 
expression,  godliness. 

During  this  encampment  a man  stole  some  rails  and  was 
brought  up  before  Jackson.  He  confessed,  saying,  “Well, 
General,  I had  seen  Hill  and  I’d  never  seen  you,  so  I stole  the 
rails  to  get  to  see  you.”  Jackson  said  to  an  orderly,  “Take 
that  man  and  buck  him,  and  set  him  on  top  of  a barrel  in 
front  of  my  tent,  and  he  can  see  me  as  much  as  he  likes.” 
Many  jokes  are  told  of  the  men  in  that  camp. 

Once  an  officer  who  had  his  mustache  fixed  in  French  twist 
style,  waxed  at  the  ends  and  curled  to  fine  points,  was  sur- 
prised to  hear  the  men  hollow  at  him,  “Take  them  mice  out 
your  mouth.  No  use  sayin’  you  ’aint  got  ’em  in  thar,  for  we 
see  their  tails  stickin’  out.” 

When  a cavalryman  who  had  just  spent  a whole  month’s 
pay  on  a pair  of  high-top  boots,  or  had  taken  them  from 
“some  Yankee,”  came  down  the  camp,  all  would  yell  out, 
“Come  outen  them  boots.  I know  you  are  thar,  fur  I see  your 
arms  ’er  stickin’  out.”  Or  if  an  infantryman  came  in  with 
an  unusual  hat,  he  was  certain  to  catch  the  yell  to  “come  out 
that  hat.  You  are  in  thar,  we  see  your  laigs  movin’.” 

When  a yell  was  heard  and  no  battle  was  in  progress,  new 
soldiers  would  ask  the  cause  of  the  yelling,  and  old  soldiers  or 
veterans  would  tell  them,  “Oh,  it’s  old  Jack  going  along  the 


454 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


road.”  Jackson  never  came  in  sight  but  the  yell  was  sent  up 
in  honor  of  his  presence. 

Upon  one  occasion  when  Generals  Lee,  Jackson,  Stuart 
and  Longstreet  were  invited  to  dine  at  a home  on  the  Ope- 
quon  (the  historic  creek  near  the  camp),  the  lady  of  the  man- 
sion declared  that  it  was  like  the  famous  breakfast  at  the  cas- 
tle of  Tillietudlem,  and  that  General  Lee’s  chair  should  be 
marked  and  remembered;  but  it  was  said  that  Jackson  had 
been  regaled  with  the  choicest  portions  of  the  banquet,  and 
that  for  him,  she  arrayed  herself  in  her  best  silk  and  assumed 
her  most  winning  smiles. 

Jackson  was  presented  with  a handsome  coat,  upon  which 
had  been  placed  the  regulation  stars  of  a Lieutenant-General. 
This  was  a gift  from  that  noble  and  ever  chivalrous  Stuart, 
who  succeeded  in  command  of  his,  Jackson’s,  corps  at  Chan- 
cellorsville.  There  was  much  speculation  as  to  whether  Jack- 
son  would  wear  the  coat — the  men  were  inclined  to  the  opin- 
ion that  he  would  be  tardy  in  making  his  appearance  in  any- 
thing but  his  old  dingy  and  literally  weather-beaten  coat,  so 
familiar  to  his  men.  His  old  coat  had  been  debuttoned  by  the 
patriotic  girls  of  Martinsburg,  and  this  added  difficulties  to 
the  effort  to  stay  with  the  faithful  mascotted  garment.  Jack- 
son  took  the  coat,  and  at  Fredericksburg,  for  the  first  time  in 
his  entire  career  in  the  army,  appeared  in  full  uniform,  his 
new  coat  buttoned  to  the  throat — and  men  claim  that  they  had 
never  known  of  their  General’s  splendid  military  stature, 
soldierly  figure  and  commanding  carriage  until  they  saw  him 
that  day  ; coated,  hatted,  booted  and,  in  all,  a grand  figure  of 
a Mighty  Leader  and  Soldier. 

One  would  suppose  that  being  so  near  his  old  friends  at 
Winchester,  he  would  visit  them,  but  he  writes  that  he  had  not 
the  pleasure  of  seeing  them  since  May.  In  October  he  writes 
Mrs.  Jackson  : “Last  night  was  very  cold,  but  my  friend.  Dr. 
Hunter  McGuire  secured  a camp  stove  for  me  and  I am  com- 
paratively comfortable.  Don’t  send  me  any  more  socks,  as  the 
kind  ladies  have  sent  me  more  than  I could  possibly  wear  out 
in  two  years.  Let  the  soldiers  have  all  your  blankets.'''’  (Mrs. 
Jackson  says  this  order  was  fulfilled,  and  finally  all  the  Gen- 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson  455 

eraV s carpets  went  to  the  army  to  be  used  as  blankets  for  the 
men). 

In  a letter  to  his  wife  he  says:  “Don’t  trouble  yourself 
about  representations  that  are  made  of  your  husband.  It  is 
best  for  us  to  keep  our  eyes  fixed  upon  the  throne  of  God. 
It  is  gratifying  to  be  beloved,  and  to  have  our  conduct  ap- 
proved. It  appears  to  me  that  it  would  be  better  for  you  not 
to  have  anything  written  about  me.  Let  us  follow  the  teach- 
ing of  inspiration,  ‘Let  another  man  praise  thee.’  I appre- 
ciate the  loving  interest  that  prompted  such  a desire  in  my 
precious  darling.”  In  the  same  letter  he  spoke  discouragingly 
of  meeting  his  wife,  as  he  saw  another  battle  ahead,  but  he 
left  all  in  the  hands  of  the  Most  High,  and  prayed  that  He 
would  direct  all  for  His  own  glory.  He  tells  her  he  has  all 
the  gloves  and  handkerchiefs  he  hopes  he  will  need  until 
peace,  and  added,  “You  think  you  can  remember  all  the 
names  of  the  ladies  who  send  me  presents,  but  you  have  not 
heard  near  all  of  them.  An  old  lady  in  Tennessee  of  about 
eighty  years  sent  me  a pair  of  socks.” 

He  was  presented  with  a fine  pair  of  officer’s  martingales 
and  bridle ; another  gentleman  gave  him  a fine  pair  of  field- 
glasses  ; another,  a roll  of  cloth  to  make  him  a suit  of  clothes. 
He  spoke  of  his  longing  to  have  his  wife  with  him,  and  his 
gratitude  for  all  the  kindness  of  those  who  honored  him  with 
presents. 

He  seemed  deeply  concerned  about  the  army  suffering  for 
want  of  clothes.,  and  praises  Colonel  Boteler,  of  Richmond, 
for  his  labors  to  clothe  the  men.  On  the  20th  of  November 
he  is  at  Winchester,  and  writes  of  his  pleasure  at  meeting  his 
old  friends ; then  he  tells  how  he  misses  his  wife  and  is  in 
hope  of  having  her,  when  all  at  once  he  is  ordered  to  the 
front.  This  order  cost  the  Confederacy  the  loss  of  the  Shen- 
andoah Valley,  “the  storehouse  of  the  armies.” 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


BATTLE  OF  FREDERICKSBURG,  IN  WHICH  IS  DEFEATED  THE 

GREATEST  ARMY  EVER  ASSEMBLED  ON  THE  AMERI- 
CAN CONTINENT  UP  TO  THAT  TIME. — BURNSIDE  DE- 
FEATED, MAKING  EIGHT  GENERALS  DEFEATED 

BY  JACKSON, WINTER  CAMPAIGN  AT  MOSS 

NECK. — NORTHERN  PRESS  COMMENTS 
AND  FOREIGJJ  press  COMMENTS. 

Fredericksburg  battle  opened  December  13,  1862.  Burn- 
side had  been  put  in  command  to  succeed  McClellan,  a mis- 
take that  brought  confusion  most  confounded  to  the  affairs 
over  and  north  of  the  Potomac.  Burnside  was,  like  the  cele- 
brated ruralist  and  Kansas  politician,  famed  for  whiskers, 
which  he  wore  very  luxuriantly  on  his  spacious  expanse  of 
cheek — having  the  chin  shaved — but  it  is  generally  conceded 
that  he  cultivated  facial  hirsute  to  the  somewhat  neglect  of 
tactical  perfection.  Pope  had  been  “quietly  removed,”  and 
also  the  splendid  McClellan,  and  a new  man  was  selected  to 
be  sacrificed  upon  the  altar  of  Jackson.  This,  including 
Burnside,  made  nearly  a dozen  generals  sent  to  “crush  Jack- 
son,”  “take  Richmond,”  “clear  up  Lee,”  and  end  “the 
ephemeral  difficulties.” 

Jackson,  as  stated,  had  risen  to  the  command  of  a corps, 
being  a lieutenant-general,  commanding  four  divisions.  This 
placed  him  next  in  rank  with  the  commander-in-chief  of  the 
armies — Longstreet  having  the  same  rank.  Lee  was  com- 
mander-in-chief,  Johnston  having  been  wounded  about  four 
months  before  too  severely  to  retain  command. 

Tremendous  preparations  had  been  made  in  the  North  to 
man,  arm  and  equip  another  of  the  “finest  armies  on  the 
planet,”  and  for  this  campaign  about  to  open.  The  new  gen- 
eral was  to  take  charge  of  these  fresh  troops,  and  his  legions 
were  numbered  by  the  tens  of  thousands.  These  men  were 
procured  by  the  process  of  impress  and  volunteering,  the 
Emancipation  proclamation  of  Lincoln  (obliging  the  South- 
ern people  with  a gift  of  their  own  slaves)  had  popularized 

456 


4 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


457 


him  and  the  administration  throughout  the  North,  East  and 
West. 

Money  rolled  in  by  the  millions  to  crush  out  the  “traitors,” 
“ragmuffins,”  ‘‘lousy,  nasty  wretches,”  as  the  press  of  the 
North  called  the  Southern  troops.  Lee  met  with  his  gen- 
erals and  the  plans  of  battle  were  formed.  This  was  to  be 
indeed  a battle  royal.  The  preparations  in  the  North  were 
rushed  with  terrific  energy  and  volume,  and  when  the  machin- 
ery of  this  blow  was  set  in  motion,  the  very  heavens  nearly 
echoed  with  the  vengeful  reverberations  of  their  mighty  en- 
gines. 

Cannon  rumbled  over  the  roads  like  toys  in  a child’s  field  of 
fancy  ; cavalry  gathered  until  the  roads  would  scarcely  hold 
them,  and  the  infantry  gave  the  whole  surrounding  country 
a hue  of  blue  to  mingle  with  the  chill  December  haze  and  fogs. 
It  seemed  that  the  world  was  crowded  with  the  gathering 
hosts,  and  war  was  drunk  on  its  array  of  magnificent  pomp. 

The  day  comes,  and  the  early  morning  tells  in  its  echoes  that 
the  hour  had  arrived  when  one  foe  or  the  other  must  give  way. 
The  Southern  army,  in  its  threadbare  garb,  its  nominal  com- 
missary and  ordnance  depletion,  stood,  a frail  invalid  await- 
ing the  ponderous  stroke.  General  Longstreet  on  the  left, 
and  Jackson  on  the  right,  commanded  the  corps.  General 
Lee  took  his  position  on  a hill,  where  he  could  overlook  the 
operations. 

On  a hill,  Marye  Heights,  stood  artillery,  and  near  by  the 
command  of  Cobb  of  Georgia,  while  placed  at  different  other 
points  were  McLaws,  Ransom,  Pickett,  Hood,  the  Hills, 
Archer,  Lane,  Early,  Taliaferro,  Thomas,  Gregg,  Stuart  and 
other  intrepid  Defenders  and  the  men  of  their  unconquerable 
arms,  with  Pelham,*  Walton,  Walker  and  the  brave  Hardaway 
(a  captain,  who  went  with  one  Whitworth  cannon  to  fire  on 
the  enemy  at  long  range  as  they  passed  along  the  river). 

Jackson  enters  the  field  with  a brilliant  staff.  Why,  no 
one  knows,  but  “to-day  Jackson  was  another  man.”  He  wore 
his  new  coat,  a gift  from  General  “Jeb”  Stuart,  a new  pair 
of  officer’s  boots,  new  trousers,  and  that  mark  about  which 
rallied  his  men  in  many  a battle,  the  cap,  was  replaced  by  the 


458  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

regulation  hat  of  a Lieutenant-General  with  a plume  that 
Henry  of  Navarre  might  have  envied.  It  had  the  full  re- 
quirements of  gold  braid  and  tassel. 

He  rode,  the  perfect  type  of  a cavalier,  erect  and  soldierly. 
He  went  over  the  field,  and  after  marking  the  spot  where  the 
enemy  would  attack — which  prediction  was  verified  within  a 
short  time — he  went  again  to  see  General  Lee  who  stood  near  by 
on  a small  hill.  The  mists  and  the  fog  of  the  chill  winter  morning 
were  rolled  away,  and  upon  the  plain  was  exposed  one  of  the 
grandest  military  arrays  the  world  had  ever  or  doubtless  will 
ever  witness.  There  stood  125,000  7nen  armed  and  equipped 
for  battle. 

Thus  unmasked  before  the  Defenders,  under  the  broad  light 
of  day,  the  nerves  of  men  tingled  at  the  dreadful  panorama. 
Not  a heart  quivered  except  when  the  blood  mounted  to  re- 
venge this  insult,  not  a nerve  moved  unless  to  take  a tighter 
clasp  upon  the  sword  or  rifle. 

An  officer,  who  seemed  actually  delighted  at  a chance  to 
wrestle  with  this  magnificent  host  of  Invaders,  walked  up  to 
Jackson  and  said;  “General,  do  not  all  these  multitudes  of 
Federals  frighten  you.?”  “We  shall  very  soon  see,  sir, 
whether  I shall  not  frighten  them,”  replied  Jackson. 

The  cannons  spoke  to  the  echoes  in  angry  tones ; rifles 
rattled  like  a mine  of  wildest  explosives  in  flame.  Three 
hundred  cannons  told  that  the  South  and  North  were  in 
deadly  strife  once  more ; the  smoke,  the  noise,  the  yells,  the 
groans,  the  very  artillery  of  heaven  seemed  to  join  in  the 
echoes,  so  vast  were  the  cannon  discharges. 

Young  Pelham  of  Alabama,  actually  engaged  the  whole 
right  wing  of  Burnside’s  army  with  two  cannons  and  held  it, 
until  forced  by  superior  officers  to  desist.  We  next  see  Jack- 
son  with  young  Smith  (now  a Presbyterian  minister  in  Rich- 
mond, Virginia,  Rev.  Dr.  J.  P.  Smith)  going  away  round  to 
the  right.  This  was  desperately  dangerous,  and  Jackson  re- 
marked to  Lieutenant  Smith,  an  aide-de-camp,  “Watch  out, 
you  will  get  hit.”  He  seemed  amused  at  the  bad  marksman- 
ship of  the  sharpshooter,  who  was  evidently  shooting  at 
Jackson,  marking  him  as  a general  officer. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


459 


During  the  afternoon  the  battle  waged  as  if  for  the  final 
stakes.  It  was  the  army  duel  of  the  war . General  Gregg 
of  South  Carolina,  was  mortally  wounded  in  making  a charge 
to  check  the  enemy.  The  artillery  was  stopped  as  the  battle 
had  gotten  in  the  range  of  rifle,  and  in  the  struggle,  General 
Hill’s  command  was  being  bent  by  the  fearful  momentum  of 
numbers  when  Jackson  called  up  his  reserves  who  had 
seen  their  comrades’  position,  and  were  rallying  to  the  rescue. 
Early  came  on,  and  Georgians  rushed  to  their  aid  under  At- 
kinson ; Lawton,  the  old  Commander,  having  been  wounded 
at  Sharpsburg,  was  absent. 

General  Walker  came  in  on  the  left  running  his  men.  They 
dashed  at  the  enemy  with  a yell,  and  the  enthusiasm  of  the 
Georgians  being  too  great,  while  forcing  the  enemy  in  full  re- 
treat, they  got  too  far,  and  their  Colonel  was  captured  to- 
gether with  other  gallant  soldiers.  Then  came  in  Hoke  of 
North  Carolina,  Hays  of  Louisiana,  and  the  Stonewall  Brigade. 

General  Hood  of  Texas  rendered  aid  to  his  neighbors. 
Some  of  the  Invaders  were  hidden  in  a deep  cut  and  came  in 
a mad  rush  at  the  Defenders,  when  they  were  met  by  North 
Carolinians,  who,  though  never  before  in  battle,  fought  like 
veterans  and  ran  the  enemy ; it  was  difficult  to  stop  them  when 
they  onpe  got  sight  of  the  enemy’s  blood.  Some  of  them  came 
back  freely  weeping  from  anger,  because  Hood  ordered 
them  to  come  back,  and  stop  racing  the  foe.  They  said  “It’s 
because  he  has  no  confidence  in  North  Carolinians  ; if  we  had 
been  some  of  his  Texans  he  would  have  let  us  get  ’em.” 

Pender’s  men  were  exposed  as  defending  artillery,  and  never 
deserted  their  posts.  D.  H.  Hill  came  on  the  field,  and  as  a 
new  front  was  forming,  the  enemy  quit  that  part  of  the  field. 
Burnside,  for  some  insane  reason,  tried  to  take  Marye’s  heights 
and  drove  column  after  column  onto  the  Defenders  there.  The 
dead  we  have  been  told  were  so  thick  in  front  of  the  stone 
wall  that  the  ground  could  not  be  seen. 

There  is  but  one  possible  reason  for  this  ruthless  loss  of  men, 
that  is  the  attempt  at  exhaustion  of  the  ammunition  of  the 
Southern  troops ; for  as  long  as  they  could  shoot  no  power 
could  take  their  position — particularly  with  a battery  of  ar- 


460  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

I 

tillery  above  them  on  the  hill.  Besides,  behind  the  first  line, 
there  were  even  stronger  positions.  All  the  time  the  artillery 
of  the  enemy  played  on  the  Southerners’  artillery  on  top  of 
Marye’s  hill,  but  they  paid  little  attention  to  this  as  the  South- 
erners fired  at  their  infantry  when  they  were  hurled  against  the 
stone  fence  at  the  bottom  of  the  hill. 

The  Southern  soldiers  were  mowing  down  the  Invaders, 
and  shattering  their  lines  at  every  point,  driving  them  from  the 
roads,  and  throwing  their  bridges  into  the  water ; and  yet  the 
sun  was  going  down  and  Jackson  sat  with  his  watch  in  his  hand, 
losing  no  part  of  the  battle  in  his  calculations  ; but  his  men 
were  not  turning  the  tide,  and  night  was  coming.  He  pre- 
pared to  mass  his  entire  command  and  at  night  make  one 
grand  assault,  and  disregard  the  enemy’s  fire.  He  calculated 
that  he  would  rout  the  Invaders  at  night,  as  then  their  artil- 
lery could  not  fire  on  his  men,  without  endangering  their  own 
men  and  he  would  therefore  drive  them  into  the  river. 

He  had  made  his  plans,  had  General  Early  prepare  to  make 
the  charge,  and  had  asked  his  chief  surgeon.  Dr.  McGuire, 
how  many  bandages  he  had,  and  told  him  he  wanted  the  white 
cloth  to  tie  on  the  arms  of  his  men  so  they  could  be  distin- 
guished at  night  from  the  Invaders  ; that  he  wanted  to  fight 
at  night  and  drive  the  enemy  into  the  swollen  river. 

The  hour  was  coming  for  the  horrors  of  a night  battle 
There  were  signs  about  that  showed  that  Jackson  did  not  wish 
to  risk  delay  in  having  orders  properly  executed  about  his 
artillery,  and  the  soulful  thought  that  patriot  blood  might  be 
spilled  in  an  experiment  of  gigantic  proportions.  His  night 
battle  at  Boteler’s  Ford  on  the  19th  of  September,  on  the  Po- 
tomac River,  was  successful  in  all  respects,  but  that  was  a 
small  affair  compared  to  the  vastness  of  this  conception  and 
the  numbers  involved. 

He  felt  his  men  were  eager  and  able  to  carry  out  the  plan, 
but  just  as  the  charge  was  about  to  spring,  he  countermanded 
the  order  and  had  his  men  rest.  All  slept  on  the  field,  and 
were  relieved  in  detachments — one  going  for  food  and  ammu- 
nition, while  the  others  stood  to  the  guns.  The  attack  would 
have  made  another  Austerlitz  or  Waterloo. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


461 


It  has  been  asserted  by  those  who  do  not  know,  never  having 
taken  the  time  to  inform  themselves,  or  are  blinded  by  other 
causes,  that  Jackson  was  a desperate  and  inconsiderate  fighter 
— worse,  was  reckless,  and  did  not  count  the  cost. 

Here  is  shown  that  when  a time  came  where  he  could  have 
illustrated  the  traits  his  enemies  or  doubtful  friends  attributed 
to  him,  even  if  we  are  to  admit  the  plan  had  aught  of  reck- 
lessness in  it,  the  best  authorities  and  subsequent  events  show 
that  it  had  not,  and  these  authorities  are  considered  the  lead- 
ing ones,  Jackson  sent  word  to  his  officers  to  abandon  the  at- 
tack. He  used  his  own  mind  to  form  the  brilliant  attack 
and  his  own  mind  to  abandon  it. 

That  his  plan  would  have  crushed  Burnside’s  whole  army 
and  drown  most  of  them  can  not  be  denied ; but  this  was  not 
entirely  Jackson’s  campaign  or  battle.  Lee  was  chief-general 
and  this  may  have  caused  him  to  hesitate  in  connection  with 
other  influences  no  one  will  ever  know,  as  he  never  discussed 
military  matters  with  any  one. 

On  that  night  Lee’ held  a council  of  war.  Jackson  was 
present,  and  while  sitting  in  the  tent,  and  during  the  great 
moment  when  battles  and  plans  were  being  discussed,  Jackson 
went  sound  asleep.  He  was  aroused  and  asked  for  his  advice  ; 
without  lifting  his  head  scarcely,  he  said;  '■'•Drive  them  into 
the  riverd'  Is  this  not  war.?  War  means  death  to  the 
enemy!  Jackson  had  made  up  his  mind  before  he  went  to 
sleep,  that  the  plan  to  drown  the  enemy  was  the  only  one 
worth  considering. 

In  Doctor  McGuire’s  excellent  lecture  on  Stonewall  Jack- 
son,  we  find  these  words,  “His  views  of  war  and  its  neces- 
sities were  of  the  sternest.’’  ‘War  means  fighting;  to  fight  is 
the  duty  of  a soldier ; march  swiftly,  strike  the  foe  with  all 
your  strength  and  take  away  from  him  everything  you  can. 
Injure  him  in  every  possible  way,  and  do  it  quickly.’  He 
talked  to  me  several  times  about  the  “black  fiag!’^  and  won- 
dered if  in  the  end,  it  would  not  result  in  less  suffering  and 
loss  of  life ; but  he  never  advocated  it. 

“A  sad  incident  of  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg  stirred  him 
very  deeply.  As  we  stood  that  night  at  our  camp,  waiting 


463 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


for  some  one  to  take  our  horses,  he  looked  up  at  the  sky  for  a 
moment,  and  said.  ‘How  horrible  is  war.’  I replied  ‘hor- 
rible, but  what  can  we  do?  These  people  at  the  North  with- 
out any  warrant  of  law,  have  invaded  our  country,  stolen  our 
property,  insulted  our  defenseless  women,  hung  and  impris- 
oned^ our  helpless  old  men,  behaved  in  many  cases  like  an  or. 
ganized  band  of  cut-throats  and  robbers.  What  can  we  do?” 
‘■'•Do/”  he  answered,  and  his  voice  was  ringing  in  its  tone, 
'•'■Do,  why  shoot  them!'’'* 

“At  Port  Republic  battle,  an  officer  commanding  a regiment 
of  Federal  soldiers,  and  riding  a snow-white  horse,  was  very 
conspicuous  for  his  gallantry.  He  frequently  exposed  him- 
self to  the  fire  of  our  men  in  the  most  reckless  way.  So 
splendid  was  this  man’s  courage,  that  General  Ewell,  one  of 
the  most  chivalrous  gentlemen  I ever  knew,  at  some  risk  to  his 

*The  insults  of  some  of  the  Invaders  to  the  mothers,  wives,  sisters, 
daughters  and  female  members  of  homes  of  Southern  soldiers,  while 
these  Defenders  were  at  the  front,  in  the  defence  of  their  countr}%  can 
not  be  forgotten  or  forgiven. 

War  is  wretched  enough  when  men  must  meet  and  shoot  each  other. 
Wretched  enough  when  sickness,  death,  starvation,  famishing  and 
other  deadly  horrors  are  inflicted  upon  the  victim. 

There  is  no  excuse,  however,  for  men  who  lay  aside  the  instincts  of 
manhood,  and  heap  insults,  cruelty,  shame,  sorrow  and  suffering  upon 
women  and  children.  No  war,  in  civilized  times,  has  as  black  a record, 
as  rests  upon  many  commands  of  the  Invader  army  in  the  war  made 
upon  the  South,  1861-1865. 

A savage  conduct  marks  the  course  of  some  of  the  Invaders.  Many 
of  their  crimes  are  too  diabolical  to  be  printed;  their  comrades  should 
have  punished  these  men  who  had  disgraced  American  soldiery.  In- 
fants have  had  their  brains  knocked  out  in  the  presence  of  their  mothers 
because  the  mother  could  not  tell  things  they  knew  nothing  of.  These 
fiendish  acts  were  committed  to  try  and  secure  secret  information  about 
that  which,  as  said,  the  poor  distracted  mothers  knew  nothing. 

Negroes,  in  the  uniform  of  the  Invader’s  army,  offered  all  man- 
ner of  insolence,  abuse,  and  insult  to  ladies — we  know  of  instances  where 
ladies  have  been  cursed  by  them  and  slapped  in  the  face.  We  have  been 
told  of  an  instance  occurring  in  Virginia,  which  for  hideous  degredation, 
has  no  example  in  history  for  barbarity.  Some  timbers  had  been  cut  in 
a bridge  near  the  victim’s  house ; she  knew  nothing  of  the  affair,  but 
the  Invaders,  nevertheless,  went  to  her  house,  took  and  stripped  her 
and  passed  the  command  before  her. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  463 

own  life,  rode  down  our  lines,  and  called  to  his  men,  not  to 
shoot  the  man  on  the  white  horse. 

After  a little  while,  however,  the  officer  and  his  white  horse 
went  down.  A day  or  so  after,  when  Jackson  learned  of  the 
incident,  he  sent  for  General  Ewell,  and  told  him  not  to  do 
such  a thing  again  ; that  this  was  no  ordinary  war,  and  the 
brave  and  gallant  Federal  officers  were  the  very  kind  that 
must  be  killed.” 

General  Grant  had  the  same  views  of  war.  In  his  inimi- 
table style.  Grant  once  said,  “You  can’t  have  war  without 
somebody  getting  hurt,  and  the  more  you  hurt,  the  sooner  the 
war  ends.” 

Another  incident  occurred  after  the  council  of  war  was  over. 
Jackson  had  returned  to  his  tent  and  found  Colonel  Boteler 
there.  He  offered  to  share  his  pallet  with  him,  and  Colonel 
Boteler  lay  down,  but  Jackson  sat  by  his  camp  table  and  wrote 
dispatches  and  letters  till  midnight,  and  then  lay  down  for  a 
short  nap.  About  four  o’clock  he  resumed  his  writing,  and 
seeing  the  light  from  his  candle  shining  in  his  friend’s  face, 
he  stopped  to  arrange  some  plan  to  shield  him  from  the  glare, 
that  he,  at  least,  might  sleep. 

Jackson  had  not  taken  off  his  clothes,  but  slept  and  worked 
with  them  on  until  nearly  daylight  when,  being  told  by  Dr. 
McGuire  that  General  Gregg  was  nearing  the  end,  having 
been  mortally  wounded  the  day  before,  he  requested  the 
Doctor  to  return  to  the  General  at  once.  The  Doctor  told 
him  he  had  just  seen  General  Gregg  and  could  do  nothing 
for  him,  when  Jackson  replied,  “I  wish  you  would  go  to  him 
again  and  tell  him  I sent  you.” 

Jackson  some  time  before  had  some  misunderstanding 
with  General  Gregg,  and  he  could  not  bear  the  thought  of 
the  man,  whom  he  admired  for  his  gentlemanly  and  brave  de- 
portment, passing  away  without  knowing  that  he,  Jackson, 
bore  no  malice.  Scarcely  had  the  surgeon  reached  the  dying 
General’s  side  when  Jackson  came. 

He  was  left  alone  with  this  brave  officer  and  what  passed 
between  them  no  one  will  ever  know;  but  Jackson’s  face  wore 
that  same  exalted  and  sad  look,  noticed  by  all  as  he  left  the 


464 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


side  of  his  dead  Ashby  on  that  summer’s  morning  in  the  valley. 
The  surgeon  so  intimate  with  Jackson  writes.  “That  Jackson 
did  not  speak  a word  as  they  returned  together  in  the  winter 
night,  back  to  his  camp.” 

On  the  next  morning,  Jackson  was  ready  for  battle  again, 
but  as  Burnside’s  officers  openly  refused  to  obey  their  com- 
mander, there  was  nothing  to  do  but  to  prepare  for  defense, 
and  this  he  did  by  digging  ditches  and  making  other  prepara- 
tions of  like  character. 

He  was  in  possession  of  the  town  of  Fredericksburg,  and 
this  afforded  protection  to  him.  He  did  not  dare  to  tarry  and 
move  his  troops  across  the  bridge.  This  was  December  14th ; 
on  the  next  day,  Monday,  December  15th,  a Northern  gen- 
eral asked  for  flag  of  truce  of  the  right  wing  (which  was  Jack- 
son’s,)  so  that  they  might  come  and  bury  their  dead,  and  treat 
their  sick  and  wounded  who  had  lain  there  since  the  Saturday 
before  on  the  frozen  ground. 

Jackson  remembered  how  the  Southerners  had  been  treated 
at  Sharpsburg  when  Northern  officers  asked  for  a flag  of 
truce,  which  was  promptly  granted  by  Southern  generals. 
McClellan,  it  is  alleged,  disclaimed  their  doing  so,  as  he  did 
not  want  even  the  impression  to  be  made  and  recorded  in 
history  that  a flag  of  truce  was  asked  of  the  Southern  army. 
In  other  words,  he  would  rather  let  the  sick  and  wounded  die, 
and  the  dead  go  unburied  than  do  a humane  act  to  his  own 
soldiers.  There  is  not  a doubt  about  the  truce  being  granted, 
and  all  McClellan  could  make  out  of  it  was,  that  as  the  re- 
quest had  not  been  signed  by  himself  as  commander,  it  was 
not  official,  and  he  denied  not  only  the  truce,  but  would  by 
this  cast  a blot  on  the  Defenders  as  inhuman  and  brutal ; 
but  in  this  he  failed.  (We  are  disposed  to  doubt  this  bit  of 
war  “history.”) 

When  the  request  at  Fredericksburg  came  back  signed  by 
Burnside,  the  commander,  as  Jackson  demanded  it  should 
be,  the  Northern  troops  were  allowed  to  come  on  the  battle- 
field and  care  for  their  unfortunate  comrades.  Here  again 
was  enacted  the  scene  familiar  to  the  reader ; men  of  the  same 
common  country  who  had  only  a short  time  before  been  in  the 


Blessinf^sandFraj^ej 


jackson  kneeling  in  prayer  at  cradle  of  his  infant,  Julia. 


Jackson  Telling  General  Lee  of  his  Plan  to  Flank  Hooker — Night 
Before  Chancellorsville  Battle. 


(25) 


Entering  tent  to  pray — morning  of  battle  Chancellorsville. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


469 


death-throes  of  violent  battle  mingling  like  brothers  among 
their  dead  comrades,  as  if  there  had  never  been  war  among 
them. 

All  these  scenes,  these  moments  of  humanity  when  passions 
are  silenced  and  hate  is  away,  when  God  talks  to  the  heart 
- and  poor  weak  human  nature  is  itself,  and  its  frailities  are 
made  bare,  prove  the  errors  of  war,  and  that  peace  belongs  to 
God,  and  war  to  man. 

On  the  night  of  this  day,  being  the  second  since  the  battle, 
a written  communication  came  from  D.  H.  Hill’s  men  to 
Jackson,  asking  that  they  be  not  moved  from  their  position 
as  they  wanted  the  honor  of  meeting  the  enemy’s  first  attack. 
This  was  granted,  but  the  next  morning  found  the  fields  free 
of  Invaders,  for  though  A.  P.  Hill’s  command  had  been  fear- 
fully cut  up,  it  still  craved  the  post  of  honor,  and  longed  for 
new  laurels.  Many  times  they  had  in  battles  borne  severest 
brunts,  but  never  lost  one  whit  of  heroic  ambition  and  zeal. 

The  retreat  of  the  enemy  was  aided  by  a severe  storm  that 
came  up  in  the  night  which  blew  from  the  Southern  side  to- 
ward the  Northern,  and  this,  with  the  darkness  of  a Decem- 
ber night  prevented  any  sound  or  sign  of  the  retreat  being 
detected  by  the  Southerners. 

The  enemy’s  pickets  were  withdrawn  in  whispers.  As  the 
retreating  hosts  passed  through  the  town  of  Fredericksburg, 
and  the  citizens  aroused  by  the  sounds  came  to  their  doors, 
often  with  a light  in  their  hands,  they  were  met  with  a bay- 
onet which  was  thrust  into  their  faces,  and  they  were  ordered 
to  “put  out  that  light.”  Officers  were  so  eager  that  their 
bravery  should  not  be  mistaken  even  on  a gallant  retreat,  that 
they  sprang  from  the  marching  horses,  snatched  the  lights, 
blowing  them  out,  and  thrust  the  helpless  women  back  into 
their  doors.  Gallantry  is  never  out  of  place,  even  on  a rainy 
winter  night,  when  a serious  thing  like  a retreat  is  on  hand, 
and  the  enemy  asleep.  It  is  always  the  duty  of  a gentleman 
to  protecta  lady  from  exposure  to  the  night  air!  But  no 
thoughts  and  sentiments  of  this  nature  actuated  these  officers. 

The  tragedy  of  that  night  was  ghastly  in  many  ways,  but 
the  deception  of  the  departing  hosts  was  climaxed  by  the 


<^70  Story  of  Stonkwatl  Jackson. 

following  specimen  : when  the  Southern  pickets  could  see 
what  was  in  front  of  them  as  the  day  dawned,  their  astonish- 
ment was  great.  They  could- not  see  any  moving  sentries  on 
the  picket-line  of  the  foe,  they  could  hear  nothing,  so  they 
went  to  examine  the  strange  condition  of  affairs.  As  they 
approached  there  stood  as  they  thought,  the  pickets  of  the  foe. 
frozen  stiff  and  standing  up.  They  wei'e  mere  “dummies” 
in  the  shape  of  real  men,  who  had  been  slain  in  the  battle, 
frozen,  and  placed  there  propped  up  against  supports,  to  de- 
ceive the  pickets,  and  to  prevent  premature  investigation  ; for 
they  knew  as  quick  as  day  came  and  Southern  pickets  heard 
no  sound,  they  would  investigate,  and  would  not  stop,  or  fail 
to  give  the  alarm,  unless  they  saw  men  on  the  picket  line  of 
the  Invaders.  Civilization  was  not  a part  of  the  equipment 
of  the  “finest  army  on  the  planet;”  and  this  harrowing  sav- 
agery  lingers  through  the  decades. 

The  accounts  of  the  vandalism  of  the  Invaders  in  Fredericks- 
burg is  merely  a repetition  of  accounts  given  in  previous  chap- 
ters. Women,  children  and  old  men  were  nearly  starved 
by  the  seige — the  weather  was  bitter  cold,  non-combatants 
roamed  the  frozen  streets  and  country  roads,  homeless  and 
shelterless,  while  the  men  of  their  country  stood  powerless  to 
aid  for  fear  of  killing  them  and  destroying  the  town,  if  they 
opened  fire  on  the  Invaders  with  cannon. 

The  town  was  treated  with  less  consideration  than  Moscow, 
and  was  shelled  by  the  enemy  although  the  Southern  troops 
were  in  view  on  the  field,  waiting  and  ready  to  fight  and  give 
battle  like  men.  ^ 

The  Mississippians  got  into  the  town,  and  swept  the  Invad- 
ers as  they  tried  to  pass  a pontoon  bridge  which  they  were 
trying  to  swing  across  the  river.  They  cut  down  the  enemy’s 
entire  forces  nine  times  as  they  approached.  The  Invaders 
began  with  one  hundred  and  eighty  cannons  to  furiously  bom- 
bard the  little  town ; the  home  place  of  Washington,  where 
he  was  born  and  reared,  and  where  his  mother  is  buried. 

Pandemonium  was  before  the  people,  but  the  brave  M’issis- 
sippians  stood  their  own  until  bj'-  force  of  the  unprecedented 
cannonading,  the  Invaders  at  last  landed  their  bridge  and  be- 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  471 

gan  to  rush  across  the  river.  Lee  then  withdrew  Barksdale 
and  his  men  (Mississippians)  from  the  town. 

Some  have  wondered  at  Lee  allowing  Burnside  to  retreat. 
It  is  easy  to  imagine  all  sorts  of  things  in  the  way  of  wliv. 
Lee  was  Commander-in-Chief,  and  a braver,  truer  man  never 
lived,  and  he  must  have  had  good  reasons  or  the  aggressive 
would  have  been  taken.  Whether  he  was  right  many  doubt, 
but  that  Burnside  escaped,  all  know. 

The  river  was  controlled  by  the  Invaders,  they  had 
nearly  two  hundred  cannons  protecting  their  infantry  and 
other  troops  ; and  they  had  Stafford’s  heights  for  their  artillery. 
They  had  overwhelming  numbers  and  munitions  of  war  by 
the  most  lavish  supplying.  They  had  advantage  of  position, 
and  in  addition,  kept  close  to  the  town,  and  this  kept  back 
the  fire  of  the  Southerners,  who  did  not  want  to  injure  their 
own  town. 

Burnside  was  not  backed  by  his  three  generals,  and  this 
would  indicate  they  were  afraid  some  attack  like  one  Jack- 
son  was  about  to  make  would  be  made,  and  also  that  any  po- 
sition was  not  safe  when  Jackson  was  near.  At  any  rate, 
the  enemy  left  the  field  to  the  Southerners,  and  their  march 
was  not  toward  Richmond. 

From  the  numerous  articles  in  nearly  all  the  Northern 
newspapers  and  other  sources  at  the  time,  it  is  very  plain 
that  Burnside’s  attack  on  the  Southern  army  was  a source  of 
great  mortification  to  that  section  of  country,  then  at  war 
with  the  South.  He  was  ridiculed,  taunted  and  abused.* 
This  should  not  have  been  done,  for  he  was  not  responsible 
for  that  which  always  tells  in  war ; told  in  the  war  with 
Spain ; that  is,  that  men  who  fight  for  their  country  fight  des- 
perately and  are  thrice  brave.  Invaders  are  not  held  to  their 
best  sentiments  and  courage.  Then  too,  the  Southern  man  is 
a born  fighter. 

It  will  be  observed  also,  that  the  abuse  heaped  on  Burnside, 
and  his  being  relieved  from  command  and  Hooker  put  in  his 
place,  only  kept  up  the  current  of  changes  of  commanders 
all  during  Jackson’s  career  in  the  war.  The  South  had  only 
two  Commanders-in-Chief,  Johnston  who  was  wounded, 


47^ 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


and  Lee  who  took  his  place  and  kept  it  to  the  close  of  the  war 
The  men  were  a part  of  their  Commander  and  their  cause. 

*After  the  defeat  at  Fredericksburg  the  New  Tork  Times  contained 
the  following:  “Sad,  sad,  it  is  to  look  at  the  superb  army  of  the  Po- 
tomac, the  match  of  which  no  conqueror  ever  led — this  incomparable 
army  fit  to  perform  the  mission  imposed  upon  it — paralyzed,  petrified, 
put  under  a blight  and  spell;  and  on  the  other  hand,  the  noble  nation 
bleeding  to  death  and  pouring  out  the  rich  wine  of  its  life  in  vain. 

“But  the  root  of  the  matter  is  a distrust  of  the  general  conduct  and 
ordering  of  things.  They  feel  that  things  are  at  loose  ends — fact  is  they 
know  it — for  our  army  is  one  that  reads  and  thinks.  This  spirit  of  dis- 
content is  augmented  by  many  causes  of  a special  nature.  For  ex- 
ample : 

“i.  They  have  not  for  months  been  paid.  Shameful  and  inexcus- 
able. 2.  The  stagnation,  ennui,  disgust,  suffering,  sickness  and  dis- 
content of  camp  life  in  winter  (without  winter  quarters)  amid  Vir- 
ginia mud,  cold  and  rain.  No  small  hardships,  I can  assure,  and  it  is 
doubtful  if  any  European  army  had  to  submit  to  equally  as  great  ones. 
(The  Southern  army  suffered  all  this,  and  additional  hardships  of  worn 
clothes  and  scant  commissary  department,  but  they  did  not  once  com- 
plain.— Author).  3.  General  feeling  of  despondency  resulting  from 
mismanagement  and  our  want  of  military  success.  Soldiers  are  severe 
critics,  and  are  not  to  be  bamboozled. 

“You  may  marshal  your  array  of  victories  in  glittering  editorials— 
they  smile  sarcastically  at  them.  You  see  men  who  tell  you  that 
they  have  been  in  a dozen  battles  and  were  licked  and  chased  every 
time — they  would  like  to  chase  once,  to  ‘see  how  it  feels.’  This  be- 
gins to  tell  painfully  on  them.  Their  splendid  qualities,  their  pa- 
tience, faith,  hope  and  courage  are  gradually  oozing  out.  Certainly 
never  were  braver,  gloomier,  more  sober,  sombre,  serious  and  unmu- 
sical body  of  men  than  the  army  of  the  Potomac  at  the  present  time. 
It  is  a saddening  contrast  with  a year  ago.”  The  Northern  papers  also 
spoke  of  the  “Bell  being  broken”  as  to  the  esprit  of  the  army. 

The  Washington  Republican — a bitter  Northern  paper,  after  speak- 
ing of  the  unprecedented  valor,  and  in  the  highest  compliments  to  the 
military  talent  and  courage  of  the  Southern  leaders,  continuing,  says 
of  the  Southern  army;  “They  are  presenting  to  their  enemies  a trained 
and  untrepid  front  as  of  men  born  and  bred  to  war.” 

The  London  Times  says:  “There  is  only  one  attitude  in  which  I 
never  should  be  ashamed  of  your  seeing  my  men,  and  that  is  when  they 
are  fighting.  ” (So  said  General  Lee  to  the  T’Awej’j  correspondent  in 
1862).  “It  is  a strange  thing  to  look  on  these  men,  so  ragged,  slov- 
enly and  sleeveless,  without  a superflous  ounce  of  flesh  upon  their 
bones,  with  wild  matted  hair,  in  mendicant’s  rags,  and  to  think,  when 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


473 


the  battle  flag  goes  to  the  front  how  they  can  and  do  fight.”  The  cor- 
respondent saw  them  in  the  winter  of  1862,  and  speaks  of  the  “won- 
derful spirits  of  Ihe  tatterdemalion  regiments  of  the  South. 

But  all  this  “howling  in  the  North”  showed  that  the  winter 
campaign  was  over  and  that  their  army  was  beaten.  They 
had  lost  over  twelve  thousand  men  and  gained  nothing.  They 
had  fought  with  a force  of  from  five  to  one,  and  three  to  one, 
and  been  compelled  to  give  up  their  march  “on  to  Richmond.” 
The  Southern  Army  had  lost  about  four  thousand,  two  thirds 
of  them  being  from  Jackson’s  corps — they  never  had  over 
25,000  in  the  battle,  and  their  adversaries  were  at  one  time  of 
the  battle  estimated  at  100,000. 

****-»  -ft*** 

Since  Jackson  was  last  in  battle,  between  the  battles  of 
Sharpsburg  an(|  Fredericksburg,  a daughter  was  born  to  him  ; 
and  his  first  intimation  came  through  his  sister-in-law,  Mrs. 
Irwin  of  North  Carolina,  who  wrote  a letter  to  him  and 
signed  it  “Your  dear  little  wee  daughter.”  The  letter  is 
addressed  to  “My  own  dear  PaPa,”  and  tells  her  illustrious 
father,  that  she  looks  like  him,  “blue  eyes  and  a straight  nose 
like  my  papa.  My  mother  is  anxious  to  have  my  name  de- 
cided upon,  hopes  you  will  write  and  give  me  a name,  with 
your  blessing.” 

He  wrote  his  wife  Dec.  4th;  “I  wish  I could  be  with  you 
and  see  my  two  darlings.  * Don’t  you  regard  it  as  the 
most  precious  little  creature  in  the  world.?  Do  not  spoil  it 
and  do  not  let  any  one  tease  it.  Don’t  permit  it  to  have  a bad 
temper.  How  I wish  I could  see  the  darling  little  thing! 
Give  her  many  kisses  from  her  father.”  We  note  the  refer- 
ence of  Jackson  to  his  child  as,  “it.” 

A coincidence  of  this  letter,  is,  that  it  was  written  within 
one  mile  of  Guiney’s  Station,  between  Richmond  and  Fred- 
ericksburg ; and  in  the  letter  he  tells  his  wife  she  can  come  to 
see  him  in  the  spring,  as  he  cannot  leave  the  army.  She  came 
in  the  early  spring,  and  within  a mile  of  Guiney’s  Station  he 
died  in  the  following  spring,  and  here  his  infant  daughter  saw 
him  for  the  last  time. 

He  speaks  as  an  humble  Christian,  of  the  great  gifts  of  his 


474  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

Meavenly  Father,  and  the  kindness  of  his  many  friends;  but 
the  joy  over  the  birth  of  his  daughter  seemed  to  fill  his  mind  and 
heart.  Fie  answered  the  little  letter  from  his  baby,  and  said, 
“Tell  her  I love  her  better  than  all  the  baby  boys  in  the  world 
and  more  than  all  other  babies  in  the  world.”  In  a letter  to 
this  sister-in-law  he  writes,  Dec.  3rd,  that  he  looks  to  North 
Carolina  with  interest,  as  there,  is  his  wife  from  whom  he  had 
been  separated  since  the  spring,  and  his  daughter  whom  he 
had  never  seen. 

On  *^fie  i6th  of  December,  he  writes  her  : “I  regret  to  say  I did 
not  send  you  a letter  yesterday.  I was  on  the  fro7it  fro7n  dawn 
until  sunset.  The  enemy,  through  God’s  blessing  was  re- 
pulsed at  all  points  on  Saturday,  and  I trust  that  our  Heavenly 
Father  will  continue  to  bless  us.  We  have  renewed  reason  for 
gratitude  to  Him  for  my  preservation  during  the  last  engage- 
ment.” Fie  also  refers  feelingly  to  the  death  and  severe  loss  of 
Generals  Cobb  and  Gregg ; to  the  enemy’s  retreat,  speaking 
of  it  thus,  “the  enemy  has  re-crossed  to  the  north  side  of  the 
Rappahannock  River.”  He  also  speaks  frequently  of  his 
baby  Julia,  and  in  the  most  affectionate  terms. 

The  winter  is  well  advanced  and  there  will  be  no  more 
fighting,  as  the  repulse  of  Burnside  put  a stop  to  further  effort 
for  the  season.  Jackson  had  his  army  about  him  and  he  took 
up  his  headquarters  about  the  middle  of  the  camp.  December 
i8th,  he  writes  Mrs.  Jackson,  “Our  headquarters  are  about 
twelve  miles  below  Fredericksburg,  near  the  house  of  Mr. 
Richard  Corbin,  which  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  buildings 
I have  seen  in  this  country. 

“It  is  said  to  have  cost  $60,000.  Night  before  last  I waS 
about  to  spend  the  night  in  the  woods,  but  sent  to  ask  if  we 
could  procure  our  supper  at  the  house.  Mr.  Corbin  was 
absent,  serving  as  a private  in  the  Virginia  cavalry,  but  Mrs. 
Corbin  bountifully  supplied  us,  and  requested  me  to  spend  the 
night  at  her  house,  which  invitation  was  thankfully  accepted, 
and  I had  a delightful  night’s  rest.” 

Fie  also  refers  to  the  offer  made  him,  of  a house  in  the  yard 
for  his  office  and  headquarters,  but  he  declined,  and  went  to 
camp  in  the  woods  (Later  Jackson  took  the  house  in  the 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


475 


yard.  It  had  been  used  as  a kind  of  a lodge,  and  all  sorts  of 
sporting  pictures  were  on  the  walls  of  race  horses,  etc.  He 
slept  up  stairs,  and  his  office  was  down  on  the  first  floor.  He 
refers  to  his  beginning  his  reports  of  the  battles  of  McDowell, 
Winchester,  Port  Republic,  Richmond,  Manassas,  Maryland, 
Campaign,  Harper’s  Ferry  and  Fredericksburg,  upon  which 
he  had  not  had  time  before  to  do  much  work. 

Christmas  Day  he  wrote  Mrs.  Jackson,  in  which  letter  he 
speaks  of  receiving  a lock  of  his  baby’s  hair,  and  of  his  longing 
to  see  her,  his  desire  for  peace,  and  to  see  the  whole  coun- 
try made  up  of  God-fearing,  Christian  people.  He  speaks  of 
an  invitation  from  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Dabney  to  have  his  wife  visit 
them  with  him,  but  added  that  he  felt  he  should  remaiii  'with 
his  meii  till  the  war  closed. 

Jackson  refers  to  the  absentees  from  the  army,  and  advances 
the  opinion  that  if  this  were  not  the  case,  so  many  absent, 
that  peace  might  be  brought  about  sooner,  and  says,  he  must 
set  the  example  by  remaining  at  his  post  of  duty.  He  pro- 
jected a plan  to  avoid  the  abuse  of  ficrlough  -privilege,  but  no 
action  was  taken  at  Richmond.  The  plan  would  have  pre- 
vented the  excessive  absences  of  men. 

As  an  illustration  that  Jackson  was  opposed  nepotism — did 
not  approve  of  family  favorites — when  a young  kinsman  from 
western  Virginia  wrote,  he  advised  him  to  join  General 
Echol’s  command  which  was  operating  in  that  section.  He 
also  tells  him  that  by  application  and  doing  his  duty  he  would 
be  rewarded. 

The  new  year  found  him  in  his  winter-quarters.  The  men 
had  built  huts  and  otherwise  prepared  for  the  winter.  Jack- 
son  prepared  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  army  by  having 
chaplains  appointed  and  religious  meetings  arranged  for. 
Some  of  these  meetings  were  attended  by  two  or  three 
thousand  men,  and  many  united  themselves  to  the  church 
through  these  services. 

Men  who  could  not  waver  in  the  dangers  of  battle  would 
tremble  when  their  spiritual  condition  was  shown  them  by  the 
faithful  chaplains,  and  the  influences  of  that  winter  in  the 
camp  of  a godly  man  will  never  perish ; and  many  of  those 


476  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

who  survived  Jackson  and  the  war  lived  a life  of  devotion  to 
the  cause  of  Christ,  and  those  yet  among  the  men  of  this  earth 
remember  Jackson’s  prayer-meetings  and  the  churches  under 
the  winter  skies  in  Caroline  County,  Virginia. 

News  came  to  him  of  the  Invaders  again  getting  into  Win- 
chester, he  immediately  wrote  to  parties  in  Richmond  to 
urge  his  plans  of  keeping  an  army  in  the  Valley  to  protect 
that  rich  country  from  destruction  of  the  enemy,  and  to 
keep  out  the  enemy  from  northern  Virginia,  but  his  plans 
were  not  heeded,  as  usual,  and  as  usual  also,  catastrophe  en- 
sued. 

Later  General  Longstreet  was  sent  to  the  southwestern  part 
of  Virginia,  and  was  there  when  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville 
was  fought,  but  this  move  did  not  accomplish  what  Jackson 
showed  plainly  could  have  been  accomplished  by  having  an 
army  in  the  Valley  of  Virginia;  he  took  no  interest  in  the 
southwest  Virginia  plan.  He  did  not  ask  that  he  be  placed 
in  the  Valley, but  suggested  General  Early  as  the  man,  and  by 
his  having  twenty  thousand  troops  there,  they  could  be 
well  pared  for,  besides  keeping  out  invasion ; while  down 
in  the  region  about  Richmond,  the  efforts  to  sustain  and  sup- 
port the  army  were  at  times  desperate.  As  a rejoinder,  or 
answer,  to  Jackson’s  plans  or  suggestions,  the  Valley  was  filled 
with  Invaders,  which  would  not  have  been  possible  had  he 
been  heeded. 

In  the  first  two  years  of  Jackson’s  service,  the  responsibili- 
ties and  cares  began  to  show  upon  his  health,  but  when  he 
was  relieved  of  these  responsibilities,  many  remarked  the  im- 
provement, both  in  his  health  and  outward  manner.  At  this 
present  time  Jackson  was  directly  under  the  Commander-in- 
Chief,  and  his  cares  were  so  few,  comparatively,  he  obtained 
relaxation  from  previous  stress.  His  men  scarcely  knew  him 
in  his  new  style  of  dress  and  uniform,  and  while  he  would  not 
discard  all  his  old  familiar  marks,  he  was  “more  on  the  order 
of  a general  officer,”  but  withal,  the  same  simple  manner  of 
living  clung  by  him.  He  and  General  Stuart  became  more 
than  ever,  attached  to  each  other ; and  he  enjoyed  the  hearty, 
free  and  easy  manner  of  the  Knight  of  Cavalrymen.  No  one 


Story  of  Stone watl  Jackson. 


477 


could  talk  to  Jackson  as  Stuart;  the  dignified  Jackson  would 
sometimes  be  completely  non-plussed  by  some  of  Stuart’s  jokes, 
but  took  them  all  good  naturedly  and  laughed  heartily. 

On  one  occasion  a party  of  officers  were  dicing  with  him — 
among  them  Stuart.  On  the  walls  of  the  room  were  pictures 
of  race  horses  and  other  sporting  scenes  which  have  been  re- 
ferred to  which,  when  Stuart  noticed,  began  to  comment  on  the 
tastes  of  the  pious  host.  He  pointed  to  the  pictures,  and  in 
mock  surprise  announced  that,  “He  never  thought  General 
Jackson  was  that  sort  of  a man.”  Jackson  laughingly  told 
them,  appreciating  the  joke,  that  he  was  more  familiar  with 
race  horses  than  some  might  suppose. 

In  his  boyhood,  it  will  be  remembered,  his  uncle  owned 
several,  and  Jackson  rode  them.  As  the  generals  sat  down  to 
dinner  there  was  a plate  of  fine  butter  which  Jim,  the  cook, 
had  placed  in  the  center  of  the  table.  Stuart  looked  at  it  care- 
fully and  remarked  in  his  inimicable  humor,  “Why,  gentlemen, 
Jackson  even  carries  his  sporting  inclinations  into  his  articles 
of  foods;  look  at  that  game  cock  on  his  butter.”  The  lady 
who  sent  the  butter,  had  molded  a rooster  on  it. 

During  a severe  snow  storm,  that  left  on  the  ground  ad- 
ditional discomfort  to  outdoor  winter  army  life,  the  men, 
who  had^been  practically  idle,  took  advantage  of  the  occasion 
to  have  exercise,  and  they  had,  amoirg  themselves  regular 
pitched  battles  of  snow-balling.  One  day  Jackson,  who  had 
been  riding  for  some  business  connected  with  the  army,  came 
along.  The  soldiers  saw  him  and  at  once  prepared  to  give  him 
a good  snow-balling.  They  waited  until  he  was  in  good 
range,  and  began  to  hurl  the  snowballs  at  “Old  Jack”  as  they 
called  him.  He  saw  he  was  caught,  and  tucking  his  head 
down,  put  spurs  to  his  horse  and  dashed  along  through  the 
snowballs.  He  enjoyed  anything  like  spirit  and  dash,  and 
this  pleasantry  was  a surprise,  and  one  enjoyed  by  him. 

An  officer  in  the  English  army  who  visited  Jackson  about 
this  time  writes  : “I  brought  from  Nassau  a box  of  goods  for 
General  Stonewall  Jackson,  and  he  asked  me  when  I was  in 
Richmond  to  come  to  his  camp  and  see  him.  I left  the  city 
one  morning  about  seven  o’clock,  and  about  ten  o’clock  landed 


478  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

at  a station  some  eight  or  nine  miles  from  Jackson’s,  or  as  his 
men  call  it,  “Old  Jack’s  camp.” 

“A  heavy  fall  of  snow  had  covered  the  country  for  some 
time  before  to  l^e  depth  of  a foot,  and  formed  a crust  over  the 
Virginia  mud,  which  is  as  villainous  as  that  of  Balaklava. 
The  day  before  had  been  mild  and  wet,  and  my  journey  was 
made  in  a drenching  shower,"  which  soon  cleared  away  the 
white  mantle  of  snow.  You  cannot  imagine  the  slough  of  de- 
spond I had  to  pass  through.  Wet  to  the  skin  I stumbled 
through  the  mud,  I waded  the  creeks,  passed  through  pine 
woods,  and  at  last  got  into  camp  about  two  o’clock. 

“I  then  made  my  way  to  a small  house  occupied  by  the 
General  as  his  headquarters.  I wrote  down  my  name  and  gave 
it  to  an  orderly,  and  I was  immediately  told  to  walk  in.  The 
General  rose  and  greeted  me  warmly.  I expected  to  see  an 
old,  untidy  man,  and  was  most  agreeably  surprised  and  pleased 
with  his  appearance.  He  is  tall,  handsome  and  powerfully 
built,  but  thin.  He  had  brown  hair  and  beard.  His  mouth 
expresses  great  determination,  the  lips  are  thin  and  com- 
pressed firmly  together ; his  eyes  are  blue  and  dark,  with  keen 
and  searching  expression. 

“I  was  told  that  his  age  was  thirty-eight  and  he  looks  about 
forty.  The  General,  who  is  indescribably  simple  and  unaf- 
fected in  all  his  ways,  took  off  my  wet  overcoat  with  his  own 
hands,  made  up  the  fire,  brought  wood  for  me  to  put  my  feet 
on  to  keep  them  warm  while  my  boots  were  drying,  and  then 
began  to  ask  me  questions  on  various  subjects.  At  the  dinner- 
hour  he  went  out  and  joined  the  members  of  his  staff.  At 
this  meal  the  General  said  grace  in  a fervent,  quiet  manner 
which  struck  me  much. 

“After  dinner  I returned  to  his  room  and  he  again  talked 
for  a long  time.  The  servant  came  in  and  took  his  mattress 
out  of  a cupboard  and  laid  it  on  the  floor.  As  I rose  to  retire 
the  General  said,  ‘Captain,  there  is  plenty  of  room  on  my  bed  ; 
I hope  you  will  share  it  with  me.’  I thanked  him  very  much 
for  his  courtesy,  but  said  good-night  and  slept  in  a tent,  shar- 
ing the  blankets  of  one  of  his  aides-de-camp. 

“In  the  morning,  at  breakfast-time,  I noticed  that  the  Gen- 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


479 


eral  said  grace  before  the  meal  with  the  same  fervor  I had  re- 
marked before.  An  hour  or  two  afterwards,  it  was  time  for 
me  to  return  to  the  station  ; on  this  occasion,  however,  I had 
a horse,  and  I returned  up  to  the  General’s  headquarters  to  bid 
him  adieu.  His  little  room  was  vacant,  so  I stepped  ?n  and 
stood  before  the  fire.  I then  noticed  my  great-coat  stretched 
before  it  on  a chair.  Shortly  afterwards,  the  General  entered 
the  room.  He  said,  ‘Captain,  I have  been  trying  to  dry  your 
great-coat,  but  I am  afraid  I have  not  succeeded  very  well.’ 

“That  little  act  illustrates  the  man’s  character.  With  the 
care  and  responsibilities  of  a vast  army  on  his  shoulders,  he 
finds  time  to  do  little  acts  of  kindness  and  thoughtfulness, 
which  make  him  the  darling  of  his  men,  who  never  seemed  to 
tire  talking  of  him.  General  Jackson  is  a man  of  great  en- 
durance ; he  drinks  nothing  stronger  than  water,  and  never 
uses  tobacco  or  any  stimulant.  He  has  been  known  to  ride 
for  three  days  and  nights  at  a time ; and  if  there  is  any  labor 
to  be  undergone,  he  never  fails  to  take  his  share  of  it.” 

Jackson’s  domestic  tastes  soon  asserted  themselves,  and  he 
found  a dear  little  friend  in  Mrs.  Corbin’s  child  Jane.  When- 
ever he  went  to  the  house  or  she  came  to  his  headquarters  he 
would  have  some  little  present  for  her,  and  she  would  sit  on 
his  knee  and  talk,  in  her  childish  prattle,  of  the  jumbling  sub- 
jects a child  can  bring  up.  Once  he  had  nothing  for  his  lit- 
tle friend,  and  he  took  his  penknife  and  clipped  the  gold  lace 
from  his  cap  and  placing  it  over  her  brow,  said,  “This  shall  be 
a coronet  for  j'ou.” 

The  day  he  left  his  winter-quarters.  Moss  Neck,  Mr.  Corbin’s 
plantation,  to  go  into  the  spring  campaign,  this  little  friend 
died.  Her  mother  cherished  the  gold  lace  as  a memorial  of 
this  child  and  her  illustrious  friend.  In  less  than  two  months 
Jackson  joined  his  innocent  child-friend ; and  they  wear  a 
coronet  in  that  place  where  there  are  no  wars ; where  peace, 
far  sweeter  than  the  peace  he  craved  on  earth,  is  ever  present 
— a “peace  that  passeth  all  understanding.” 

Let  us  here  make  a few  selections  from  some  of  the  letters 
written  at  this  time  by  him.  It  seemed  as  he  approached 
death,  although  we  have  no  account  of  his  anticipating  death 


48o 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


especially,  his  fervor  upon  all  spiritual  affairs  became  very 
absorbing,  and  he  spent  a great  deal  of  his  time  upon  the 
various  matters  connected  with  religion.  “If  I know  my  un- 
worthy self,  my  desire  is  to  live  entirely  and  unreservedly  to 
God’s  glory.  Pray  that  I may  so  live.” 

“I  derived  additional  pleasure  in  reading  a letter,  resulting 
from  a conviction  that  it  had  not  been  traveling  on  the  Sab- 
bath. How  delightful  will  be  our  heavenly  home,  where 
everything  is  sanctified.”  “Our  Heavenly  Father  is  contin- 
ually blessing  me  with  presents.  He  withholds  no  good  thing 
from  me.”  “I  trust  that  in  answer  to  prayers  of  God’s  people^ 
He  will  soon  give  us  peace.  I have  not  seen  my  wife  for 
nearly  a year,  and  my  home  for  nearly  two  years,  and  I have 
never  seen  my  sweet  little  daughter.” 

Jackson  wrote  his  old  pastor  at  Lexington  his  views  in  re- 
gard to  the  matter  of  selection  and  appointment  of  chaplains 
for  the  army  and  views  concerning  the  relation  of  the  people 
to  the  spiritual  part  of  the  army  as  well  as  the  material  part. 
He  was  very  reluctant  to  write  anything,  but  being  urged  he 
consented.  Jackson  had  an  innate  modesty  that  his  most 
careful  student  marks  as  one  of  his  grandest  attributes.  He 
was  absolutely  without  pride  of  the  self-advancement  quality. 

He  was  grateful  in  the  extreme  ; and  had  he  been  properly 
treated  by  the  government  and  his  worth  confessed  in  its  acts 
during  his  life,  instead  of  high-sounding  words  after  he  was 
called  to  that  reward  higher  than  all  governments  could  be- 
stow, his  gratitude  would  have  been  measured  only  by  his 
services — and  brilliant  services — to  that  cause  he  held  dearer 
than  life — his  country’s  independence  ! 

* * * * * * * 

If  the  plans  Jackson  suggested  in  1863,  on  March  loth,  in 
the  letter  I'eferred  to,  could  be  followed  by  all  nations,  there 
would  be  no  more  wars.  An  account  is  given  of  one  of  the 
num.erous  meetings  held  in  that  army.  The  church  was  the 
property  of  the  Episcopalians,  a Baptist  opened  the  service 
with  prayer,  a Methodist  conducted  it,  and  a Presbyterian 
preached  the  sermon. 

There  were  weekly  meetings  of  chaplains.  He  would  meet 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


481 


and  talk  with  them  and  urge  that  they  bear  the  hardships  and 
dangers  with  the  soldiers.  Jackson  advocated  Congress  en- 
acting laws  requiring  that  chaplains  have  tents  and  equip- 
ments, horses,  etc.,  and  that  they  be  indeed  a part,  and  an  im- 
portant part,  of  the  army. 

Frequently  Jackson  spoke  with  wonderful  power  upon  sub- 
jects that  went  far  into  the  relationship  of  state  and  churchy 
taking  the  ground  that  the  state  should  protect  the  church, 
that  in  turn  the  church  could  support  the  state ; that  the  laws 
should  be  manifested  and  founded  upon  the  finest  and  absorb- 
ing sense  of  the  rights  of  the  Almighty,  and  His  laws  should 
be  the  basis  of  all  law. 

He  had  a plan  that  would  have  resulted,  had  he  lived,  in 
publishing  a religious  daily  paper.  In  the  year  1900,  Rev. 
Charles  Sheldon,  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  established  a daily  reli- 
gious newspaper  and  the  experiment,  from  all  accounts,  is  suc- 
ceeding; thirty-eight  years  before  Jackson  planned  to  bring 
about  such  a result.  He  had  studied  the  subject  and  his  ideas 
upon  the  matter,  as  upon  all  others,  were  sound  ; supported  by  a 
man  of  his  unswerving  determination,  the  plan  would  have  suc- 
ceeded. The  whole  religious  world  would  have  rallied  to  the 
support  of  any  publication  having  the  personal  care  and  super- 
vision of  this  devout  man.  Some  of  the  daily  papers  of  the 
present  day  are  not  careful  in  the  selection  of  their  news  and 
contents,  and  many  men  do  not  permit  them  to  enter  their 
homes.  We  do  not  mean  that  the  press  is  corrupt,  far  from 
any  suggestion  is  our  conviction,  but  there  are  some  papers 
that  the  press  condemns  and  such  papers  will  eventually  be 
barred. 

During  this  camping  the  soldiers  built  log  churches — the 
Stonewall  brigade  built  the  first  one ; logs  were  also  used  as 
seats — there  were  no  “pews.”  It  was  a common  sight  to  have 
Lee,  Jackson,  and  many  other  generals  in  attendance  upon 
service  or  meetings  in  church  or  out  of  doors,  mingling  with 
the  private  soldiers,  as  a body  of  seekers  after  righteousness. 
A favorite  maxirn  of  Jackson’s  was,  '‘'•Duty  is  ours;  con- 
sequences are  God^s.” 

Jackson  had  now  33,000  troops  and  the  men  had  recruited 


z]S2  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

the  ranks  during  their  trips  home.  The  fame  of  Jackson  had 
induced  many  men,  who  had,  in  time  past,  hesitated,  to  join 
the  army  and  fight  under  him.  “The  splendid  morale  of  this 
army  did  not  need  improvement;”  and  the  army  was  enabled 
to  bear  without  injury  the  privations  and  hardships  of  the 
winter. 

Insufficient  clothing  and  scanty  rations  for  the  Defenders 
produced  no  other  eft’ect  upon  the  men  than  the  development 
of  their  regal  devotion  to  their  cause  and  country,  and  they 
bore  the  hardships  of  their  camp-life  as  heroes  alone  can  suffer 
and  survive.  Many  of  these  men  could  have  taught  Tapley 
the  way  to  jollity. 

Very  few,  in  this  day  and  time,  when  billions  of  dollars  are 
at  the  beck  and  word  of  the  United  States,  know  what  the 
struggle  is  to  supply  an  army  from  a country  having  little  or 
no  money  and  very  few  of  the  articles  needed  within  its 
midst.  The  department  of  Commissary  and  Quartermaster  of 
the  Confederate  States  stood  to  the  government  of  the  South, 
as  the  engineer  of  a great  structure  to  the  part  visible  ; few 
know  anything  connected  with  the  details.  The  public  see  the 
structure  and  know  that  great  sums  of  money  were  involved, 
but  beyond  this,  but  few  concern  themselves,  even  in  curi- 
osity. 

There  is  not  the  slightest  perplexity  to  the  plan  of  supply- 
ing an  army  and  navy  if  there  is  the  necessary  cash  or  credit 
present.  But  consider  the  task  without  either,  and  consider 
the  weight,  responsibility  and  anxiety  upon  the  men  in  charge, 
of  feeding  and  clothing  the  Southern  troops.  Statesmen  were 
as  numerous  as  morning-glories  in  a cottage  garden,  but  men 
who  are  required  to  perform  military  miracles  and  supply  food 
and  raiment  for  tens  of  thousands  of  men  belong  to  a differ- 
ent element  in  nature  to 'the  average  “statesman.” 

The  keen  humor  of  Micawber  and  Sellers  are  very  charm- 
ing to  read  and  laugh  over,  but  the  appetite  of  soldiers  goes 
on  forever,  and  their  rags  get  thinner  as  the  days  recur. 
Statesmen  may  wave  their  thin,  white  hands  in  direction  of 
all  kinds  of  wealth  and  fields  of  succor  for  an  army  and  navy, 
but  men  who  are  hungry  do  not  fill  up  on  this  kind  of  com- 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  483 

missary  material.  When  we  see  a barrel  of  flour  selling  for 
as  much  money  in  dollar  bills  as  it  will  take  piled  up  over  it 
to  hide  it  from  view  ; a dinner  costing  a thousand  dollars  or 
so,  bacon  at  hundreds  of  dollars  for  “a  smell’  ’ ^ coffee  so  dear 
that  nine  graiyis  was  a week' s rations  to  a man  ; and  tea  not 
even  scented  in  the  air  ; sugar  reduced  to  a mere  name  and  rep- 
resented by  “sweet’nin  long  drawed  out;”  molasses,  every 
commodity,  article  of  food,  and  the  plainest  demands  of  the 
appetite  out  of  reach  literally ; there  is  a time  when  men 
should  stop  talking,  and  cease  the  false  play  and  go  nearly  mad 
because  of  the  strain  upon  their  veracity — we  refer  to  men 
who  made  the  great  bluffs,  not  the  real  patriots. 

The  commissaries  and  quartermasters  of  the  Confederacy 
deserve  an  imperishable  monument  and  to  be  remembered  in 
gratitude.  How  they  performed  their  duties  and  kept  the 
armies  of  the  Confederacy  from  actual  starvation  is  to  this 
good  day  one  of  the  marvels  and  master-strokes  of  that  gigan- 
tic struggle ! 

Of  course  the  people  gave  up  all  they  had  beyond  a bare 
living  supply,  and  sometimes  even  that,  and  sent  their  wagons 
loaded  with  supplies,  when  they  had  any,  and  gave  up  every- 
thing they  could  procure  from  their  cribs,  smokehouses, 
fields  and  dairies  , their  stock,  poultry  and  all  articles  they 
could  get  together  were  at  the  service  of  those  armies  suffer- 
ing  and  dying  for  their  homes. 

Beds  were  taken  apart  and  tickings  made  into  shirts ; sheets 
were  made  into  underwear ; shoes  were  made  from  such  leather 
as  could  be  obtained  ; leather  saddle-skirts  were  used  for  soles  — 
soleless  soldiers  could  not  hope.  Principally,  shoe-supply  was 
captured  from  our  friends — the  enemy ; hats  were  made  of 
cloth,  quilted  and  stitched,  others  were  taken  from  the  enemy’s 
stores  ; socks  were  knit  by  the  women,  many  of  whom  were 
over  seventy  years  of  age.  Even  little  girls  would  remain  up 
until  late  at  night,  helping  with  the  work  of  the  women,  in 
the  struggle  to  keep  the  men  at  the  front  supplied  with  such 
clothing  and  articles  of  wear  as  could  be  produced.  There 
were  no  knitting-mills  in  the  South  at  that  time,  and  few  cot- 


484 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


ton  or  woolen  mills  at  which  thread  or  cloth  could  be  made. 
These  could  not  meet  the  demand  for  cloth  or  thread. 

Gloves  were  knit  by  hand.  Carpets  were  taken  from  the 
floors  and  made  into  blankets  and  coverings  for  the  men. 
Linens  were  sent  for  the  wounded.  Everywhere  sacrifices 
were  made,  and  without  a murmur,  by  the  women.  Ladies,  at 
one  time  in  their  lives  accustomed  to  every  wish  of  theirs 
being  supplied  as  far  as  wardrobes  were  concerned,  gave  up 
their  clothing  to  such  an  extent  that  they  could  only  make  the 
pretense  of  new  dresses^  by  turning  their  old  ones  several 
times. 

A monument  is  being  erected  to  the  women  of  the  Confed- 
eracy; God  grant  that  its  shaft  may  reflect  eternal  sunshine, 
and  that  all  generations  may  reverence  this  silent  token  of  a 
chivalrous  century  to  the  highest  type  of  womanhood — our 
Confederate  women ! 

Needles  could  not  be  had  except  at  rare  chances,  and  scis- 
sors were  scarcer  than  sewing-machines  are  to-day.  Sewing- 
machines  at  that  time  were  owned  by  a few,  and  were  so 
worn  and  out  of  repair  that  they  were  practically  useless. 
Most  of  the  thread  used  was  made  at  home — home-made ; 
knitting-needles  were  made  by  blacksmiths,  and  these  smiths 
were  principally  negroes.  All  kinds  of  devices  were  employed 
to  prepare  means  for  supplying  the  brave  men  at  the  front 
with  necessary  articles.  We  have  not  heard  nor  has  any 
mention  been  made  of  collars,  cravats,  handkerchiefs  and  toilet 
articles. 

There  were  no  men  out  of  the  army  who  had  as  much  pride 
or  courage  as  a man  should  have,  unless  he  was  engaged  in 
working  for  the  cause  through  some  other  capacity.  The  few 
men  who  remained  out  of  the  army  and  did  not  labor  for  the 
cause  of  their  country  in  some  way  usually  speculated  upon  its 
misfortunes,  and  when  the  war  ended  were  the  Shylocks  and 
financial  cut-throats  of  the  land.  Some  of  them  even  gloated 
over  the  downfall  of  the  very  government  they  had  grown 
rich  by  plundering ; some  cursed  their  lives  by  ridiculing 
participants  in  the  struggle ; some  were  mean  enough  to  de- 
press these  brave  but  overwhelmed  men,  and  went  through 


~>L-. 


a^  f^/f^ 


iddtd\ 


^ -t^ 
eJUn^,  ^ 


X 


GENERAL  JACKSON’S  LAST  WAR  DISPATCH. 


A Charge  and  Capture  of  Federal  Breastwork®  at  Cliancellorsville  (From  “Confederate  Soldiers  in  the  Civil  War. 


(26) 


Wounded  Horse  runs  away.  Chancellorsville. 


Moving  Jackson  from  Chancellorsville  Battlefield  Hospital  to  Gniney’s  Station. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


489 


the  pretense  of  buying  their  lands,  and  in  many  cases  to  hu- 
miliate them — we  say  pretense  because  we  know  of  instances 
where  patriots  lost  their  property  through  treachery  of  these 
wretched  poltroons,  and  worse — some  of  these  men  did  not 
hesitate  to  refer  derisively  to  the  Confederacy,  and  long  after 
- the  war  gloated  over  the  misfortunes  of  a class  of  patriots 
they  despitefully  and  sneeringly  referred  to  as  ‘‘them  broken- 
down  aristocrats.” 

Jackson  manifested,  as  before  related,  less  reserve  than  for- 
merly, and  would  express  his  opinion  of  the  general  princi- 
ples that  should  govern  the  Confederate  side  in  the  con- 
tinuance of  the  war.  With  much  emphasis  he  remarked  to  an 
officer  : “We  must  make  this  campaign  an  extremely  active  one. 
Only  thus  can  a weaker  country  cope  with  a stronger ; it 
must  make  up  in  activity  what  it  lacks  in  strength.  A de- 
fensive campaign  can  only  be  made  successful  by  taking  the 
aggressive  at  the  proper  time.  Napoleon  never  waited  for  his 
adversary  to  become  fully  prepared,  but  struck  him  the  first 
blow.” 

Napoleon’s  plan  of  fighting  was  un-French,  the  French 
usually  prided  themselves  upon  fighting  on  the  defensive. 
Jackson’s  fighting  was  peculiarly  Jacksonian.  Orlando’s  fabu- 
lous contests  and  conquests  are  not  more  thrilling  than  Jack, 
son’s  overthrowing  these  armied  giants  who  came  against  his 
forces,  towering  in  their  stupendous  largeness. 

The  magnificence  of  equipment  and  the  circumstances  of 
war,  the  miles  of  trains,  railroad  and  wagon,  filled  with  every 
store  an  army  can  feast  upon  or  pettishly  demand,  the  pomp 
and  glitter  of  army  life,  never  marked  Jackson’s  campaigns  or 
camp  life.  Like  Marion  and  his  men,  Jackson  and  his  men 
fought  on  “rations  and  raiment”  as  near  nature  as  men  can 
live.  The  scenes  of  the  sixteenth  century  and  the  centuries  up 
to  and  before  the  birth  of  Christ,  in  war’s  dazzling  parade, 
Jackson’s  men  knew  nothing  of  in  their  hard-down,  practical 
war  work.  They  would  have  made  a sorry  spectacle  in  that 
famous  interview  between  Henry  the  Seventh  and  Francis  the 
First.  Solomon  in  all  his  glory  could  not  come  up  to  the  lily, 


49*^  Story  of  Stonkwalr  Jackson. 

and  upon  the  same  analogy,  he  could  not  compare  his  array 
with  the  Confederate  soldier. 

The  time  draws  near  for  the  opening  of  the  spring  cam- 
paign, and  he  moves  his  quarters  to  Hamilton  crossing,  on 
the  railroad  about  five  miles  from  Fredericksburg.  He  writes 
that  he  is  in  a tent  and  this  prevents  being  so  often  inter- 
rupted in  his  work.  We  regret  that  we  can  not  give  more  of 
the  letters  of  Jackson. 

He  wi'ote  many  letters  during  this  winter,  a majority  being 
addressed  to  his  wife  ; some  of  his  correspondence  relates  to 
church  and  state,  and  they  are  open  windows  to  the  soul  of 
the  hero.  He  received  many  very  elegant  presents,  among 
them,  a complete  and  handsome  cavalryman’s  outfit,  even  to 
weapons,  oil-cloth  clothing,  blankets  etc.,  also  a fine  horse. 

During  this  camp  life  in  the  winter  of  1862-1863,  Jackson 
was  visited  by  many  distinguished  men  from  all  parts  of  the 
South  and  Europe,  and  a book  could  be  filled  with  their  ac- 
counts of  the  hero  and  the  talks  they  had  with  him.  It  is  to  be 
noted  however,  that  although  he  was  near  Richmond — only  a 
very  short  ride — and  the  country  was  at  no  great  danger, 
there  being  no  campaigns  in  progress  during  the  entire  time, 
not  one  of  the  government  officials  came  to  the  camp  of  this 
patriot,  or  have  we  any  account  of  their  having  any  knowledge 
of  his  existence.  Such  is  glory.  v 

The  reports  of  Jackson  were  written  and  are  noted  for  their 
perspicuity,  their  freedom  from  all  adjectives  and  all  osten- 
tatiousness. He  declined  any  other  method  (and  his  officer- 
friends  suggested  to  him  other)  than  a bare  relation  of  the 
official  facts. 

He  has  been  quoted  as  saying  that  he  took  no  concern  as 
to  what  historians  might  have  to  say  about  his  record;  they 
could  please  themselves  about  that,  but  as  far  as  he  was  con- 
cerned, he  would  report  the  facts  about  the  movements  of  his 
command.  Little  did  he  know  that  men  would  come  from 
foreign  lands  to  study  this  marvelous  soldier  and  learn  about 
him.  Jackson  was  a man  above  this  century  of  great  men! 

Brighter  days  were  ahead  for  Jackson.  Mrs.  Longstreet, 
Mrs.  A.  P.  Hill  and  Mrs.  Rodes,  wives  of  generals,  had  vis- 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  491 

ited  their  husbands.  Jackson  was  soon  to  look  for  the  first 
time  upon  his  infant  nearly  five  months  old  and  meet  his  wife 
whom  he  had  not  seen  for  over  a year.  On  April  18th,  he 
wrote:  “I  am  beginning  to  look  for  my  darling  and  my 
baby.  I shouldn’t  be  surprised  to  hear  at  any  time  that  they 
were  coming,  and  I tell  you  there  will  be  one  delighted  man. 

“Last  night  I dreamed  that  my  little  wife  and  I were  on 
opposite  sides  of  a room,  in  the  center  of  which  was  a table, 
and  the  little  baby  started  from  her  mother,  making  her  way 
along  under  the  table,  and  finally  reached  her  father.  And 
what  do  you  think  she  did  when  she  arrived  at  her  desti- 
nation? She  just  climbed  up  on  her  father  and  kissed  him! 
And  don’t  you  think  he  was  a happy  man?  But  when  he 
awoke  he  found  it  all  a delusion.  I am  glad  to  hear  that  she 
enjoys  outdoors,  and  coos  and  laughs.  How  I would  love 
to  see  her  sweet  ways.  That  her  little  chubby  hands  have 
lost  their  resemblance  to  mine  is  not  regretted  by  me. 

“Should  I write  you  to  have  any  more  pantaloons  made 
for  me,  please  do  not  have  much  gold  braid  about  them.  I be- 
came so  ashamed  of  the  broad  gilt  band  that  was  on  the  cap 
you  sent,  as  to  induce  me  to  take  it  off.  I like  simplicity.” 

On  the  20th  of  April,  Jackson  was  again  with  his  loved 
ones,  and  we  will  give  in  Mrs.  Jackson’s  words  this  meeting 
and  visit;  she  writes:  “Little  Julia  (the  name  of  the  baby, 
which  name  was  given  her  in  memory  and  love  of  Jackson 
for  his  mother,  whose  name  was  Julia),  was  nearly  five 
months  old,  being  plump,  rosy  and  good,  and  with  her 
nurse,  Hetty,  we  set  out  upon  this  visit,  so  full  of  interest  and 
anticipated  joys.  We  made  the  journey  safely,  stopping  in 
Richmond  to. spend  Sunday,  and  arrived  at  Guiney’s  Station 
at  noon  on  Monday,  the  20th  of  April,  1863. 

“Hetty  and  I were  all  anxiety  to  have  our  baby  present 
her  best  appearance  for  her  father’s  first  sight  of  her,  and  she 
could  not  have  better  realized  our  wishes.  She  awoke  from 
a long,  refreshing  sleep  just  before  the  train  stopped,  and 
never  looked  more  bright  and  charming.  When  he  entered 
the  coach  to  receive  us,  his  rubber  overcoat  was  dripping  from 
the  rain  which  was  falling,  but  his  face  was  all  sunshine  and 


49^  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

gladness,  and,  after  greeting  his  wife,  it  was  a picture,  in- 
deed, to  see  his  look  of  perfect  delight  and  admiration  as  his 
eyes  fell  upon  that  baby. 

“She  was  at  the  lovely,  smiling  age  ; and  catching  his  eager 
look  of  supreme  interest  in  her,  she  beamed  her  brightest  and 
sweetest  smiles  upon  him  in  return,  so  it  seemed  to  be  a mu- 
tual fascination.  He  was  afraid  to  take  her  in  his  arms  with 
his  wet  overcoat;  but  as  we  drove  in  the  carriage  to  Mr.  Yer- 
by’s  his  face  reflected  all  the  happiness  and  delight  that  were 
in  his  heart,  and  he  expressed  much  surprise  and  gratification 
at  her  size  and  beauty. 

“Upon  our  arrival  at  the  house  he  speedily  divested  himself 
of  his  overcoat,  and  taking  his  baby  in  his  arms,  he  caressed 
her  with  the  tenderest  affection,  and  held  her  long  and  lov- 
ingly.  During  the  whole  of  the  short  visit,  when  he  was 
with  us,  he  rarely  had  her  out  of  his  arms,  walking  her,  and 
amusing  her  in  every  way  he  could  think  of — sometimes  hold- 
ing her  up  before  a mirror  and  saying,  admiringly,  ‘Now, 
Miss  Jackson,  look  at  yourself!’ 

“Then  he  would  turn  to  an  old  lady  of  the  family,  and  say  : 
‘Isn’t  she  a little  gem?’  He  was  frequently  told  that  she  re- 
sembled him,  but  he  would  say,  ‘No,  she  is  too  pretty  to  look 
like  me’.  When  she  slept  in  the  day,  he  would  kneel  over  her 
cradle,  and  gaze  upon  her  little  face  with  rapt  admiration,  and 
he  said  he  felt  almost  as  if  she  were  an  angel,  in  her  innocence 
and  purity. 

“I  have  often  wished  that  the  picture  which  was  presented 
to  me  of  that  father  kneeling  over  the  cradle  of  that  lovely 
infant  could  have  been  put  on  canvass.  And  yet  with  all  his 
fondness  and  devotion  for  the  little  lady  he  had  no  idea  of 
spoiling  her,  as  will  be  seen  by  his  undertaking  to  teach  her  a 
lesson  in  self-control  before  she  was  five  months  old.  One  day 
she  began  to  cry  to  be  taken  from  the  bed  on  which  she  was 
lying,  and  as  soon  as  her  wish  was  gratified  she  ceased  to  cry. 
He  laid  her  back  upon  the  bed,  and  the  crying  was  renewed 
with  increased  violence. 

“Of  course  the  mother-heart  wished  to  stop  this  by  taking  her 
up  again,  but  he  exclaimed;  ‘This  will  never  do!’  and  com- 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


493 


manded,  ‘All  hands  off,  until  that  little  will  of  her  own  should 
be  conquered.’  So  there  she  lay  kicking  and  screaming,  while 
he  stood  over  her  with  as  much  coolness  and  determination  as 
if  he  were  directing  a battle ; and  he  was  true  to  the  name  of 
Stonewall,  even  in  disciplining  a baby.  When  she  stopped 
crying  he  would  take  her  up,  and  if  she  began  to  cry  again 
he  would  lay  her  down  again,  and  this  he  kept  up  until  she 
was  finally  completely  conquered,  and  became  perfectly  quiet 
in  his  hands. 

“On  the  23rd  of  April,  the  day  she  was  five  months  old. 
General  Jackson  had  little  Julia  baptized.  He  brought  his 
chaplain,  the  Rev.  Mr.  B.  T.  Lacy,  to  Mr.  Yerby’s,  in  whose 
parlor  the  sacred  rite  was  performed,  in  the  presence  of  the 
family  and  a number  of  the  staff  officers.  The  child  behaved 
beautifully,  and  was  the  object  of  great  interest  to  her  father’s 
friends  and  soldiers. 

“His  aide.  Lieutenant  Smith,  tells  how  he  came  to  be  present. 
He  says  : ‘I  recall  the  visit  to  Mr.  Yerby’s  to  see  the  baptism  of 
little  Julia.  For  some  reason  Mr.  Lacy  did  not  wish  me  to  go, 
and  said  I should  not  go.  Provoked  at  this,  I went  to  the 
General,  who  said,  ‘Certainly,  Mr.  Smith,  you  can  go  ; ask  the 
others  to  go  with  you,’  and  I turned  out  the  whole  party, 
making  quite  a cavalcade  to  ride  to  Mr.  Yerby’s.’  I remember 
the  General’s  impatience  at  some  little  delay  and  the  decided 
way  with  which  he  went  out  and  brought  in  the  child  in  his 
arms.” 

“The  next  Sabbath  was  a memorable  one  to  me,  being  the 
last  upon  which  I was  privileged  to  attend  divine  services 
with  my  husband  on  earth,  and  to  worship  in  camp  with  such 
a company  of  soldiers  as  I had  never  seen  together  in  a reli- 
gious congregation.  My  husband  took  me  in  an  ambulance  to 
his  headquarters  where  the  services  were  held,  and  on  the  way 
were  seen  streams  of  officers  and  soldiers,  some  riding,  some 
walking,  all  wending  their  way  to  the  place  of  worship. 

‘Arrived  there,  we  found  Mr.  Lacy  in  a tent,  in  which  we 
were  seated,  together  with  General  Lee  and  other  distinguished 
officers.  I remember  how  reverent  and  impressive  was  Gen- 


494 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


eral  Lee’s  bearing,  and  how  handsome  he  looked,  with  his 
splendid  figure  and  faultless  military  attire. 

“In  front  of  the  tent,  under  the  canopy  of  heaven,  was 
spread  out  in  dense  masses  the  soldiers,  sitting  upon  benches 
or  standing.  The  singing  was  one  grand  volume  of  song,  and 
the  attention  and  good  behavior  of  the  assembly  remarkable. 
That  Sabbath  afternoon  my  husband  spent  entirely  with  me, 
and  his  conversation  was  more  spiritual  than  I had  ever  ob- 
served before,  he  seemed  to  be  giving  utterance  to  those  re- 
ligious meditations  in  which  he  so  much  delighted.  He  never 
appeared  to  be  in  better  health  than  at  this  time,  and  I never 
saw  him  look  so  handsome  and  noble. 

“He  had  a large,  comfortable  room  at  Mr.  Yerby’s  which 
was  hospitably  furnished,  with  three  beds.  It  seems  that 
General  Lee  had  been  an  occupant  of  this  room  before  us,  for 
when  he  called  on  me  he  facetiously  alluded  to  our  capacious 
accommodations,  and  said  he  had  written  to  his  wife  and 
daughters  that  if  they  would  come  to  see  him,  he  could  enter- 
tain them  all  in  this  roo7n!'‘'‘ 

Mrs.  Jackson  then  tells  of  a visit  of  General  Lee  and  his 
staff,  referring  to  their  splendid  appearance  as  specimens  of 
Southern  manhood,  attired  in  full  uniform,  and  continuing 
her  interesting  narrative  says  : “General  Jackson  did  not  permit 
the  presence  of  his  family  to  interfere  in  any  way  with  his 
military  duties.  The  greater  part  of  each  day  he  spent  at  his 
headquarters,  but  as  early  as  he  could,  got  off  from  his  labors 
and  devoted  all  of  his  leisure  time  to  his  visitors — little  Julia 
sharing  his  chief  attention  and  care. 

“His  devotion  to  his  child  was  remarked  upon  by  all  who  be- 
held the  happy  pair  together,  for  she  soon  learned  to  delight 
in  his  caresses  as  much  as  he  loved  to  play  with  her.  An  of- 
ficer’s wife  who  saw  him  often  during  this  time  wrote  to  a 
friend  in  Richmond  that  the  ‘General  spent  all  his  leisure  time 
in  playing  with  his  baby.’ 

“One  morning  he  rode  over  from  his  headquarters  upon  his 
handsome  bay  horse,  Superior,  wishing  to  show  me  his  fine 
present ; and  after  bringing  him  up  to  the  steps  of  the  house 
and  showing  him  off,  he  remounted  him  and  galloped  away  at 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


495 


such  a John  Gilpin  speed  that  his  cap  was  soon  borne  off  by 
the  velocity,  but  he  did  not  stop  to  pick  it  up,  leaving  this  to 
his  orderly  behind  him,  who  found  great  difficulty  in  keeping 
even  in  sight  of  him.  As  far  as  could  be  seen,  he  was  flying 
like  the  wind,  the  impersonation  of  fearlessness  and  manly 
vigor. 

“It  was  during  these  last  happy  days  that  he  sat  for  the  last 
picture  that  was  taken  of  him — the  three-quarter  view  of  his 
face  and  head — the  favorite  picture  with  his  old  soldiers,  as  it 
is  the  most  soldierly  looking,  but,  to  my  mind,  not  so  pleasing 
as  the  full  face  view  which  was  taken  in  the  spring  of  1862  at 
Winchester,  and  which  has  more  of  the  beaming  sunlight  of 
his  home-look. 

“The  last  picture  was  taken  by  an  artist  who  came  to  Mr- 
Yerby’s  and  asked  permission  to  photograph  him,  which  he 
at  first  declined,  but  as  he  never  presented  a finer  appearance 
in  health  and  dress  (wearing  the  handsome  suit  given  him  by 
General  Stuart),  I persuaded  him  to  sit  for  his  picture. 
After  arranging  his  hair  myself,  which  was  unusually  long 
for  him,  and  curled  in  large  ringlets,  he  sat  in  the  hall  of  the 
house,  where  a strong  wind  blew  in  his  face,  causing  him  to 
frown,  and  giving  a sternness  to  his  countenance  that  was  not 
natural,  but  in  spite  of  this,  some  fine  copies  have  been  pro- 
duced from  the  original.  The  v6ry  best  is  Elder’s  grand 
portrait — painted  for  the  late  Mr.  W.  W.  Cochran,  of  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.” 

Mrs.  Jackson,  continuing,  says : “During  a visit  of  my 
daughter  and  myself  to  Mr.  Cochran,  he  asked  us  to  walk  with 
him  into  his  salon,  saying  he  had  there  something  to  show  us. 
Without  another  word,  he  led  us  in  front  of  this  portrait,  and 
the  child  stood,  transfixed,  before  the  splendid  representation 
of  the  father  whose  memory  she  so  revered — the  dear  old  man 
stepped  forward,  and  lifting  the  pathetic  young  face,  tenderly 
Itissed  her.  This  portrait,  together  with  a companion  picture 
of  General  Lee,  was  given  by  Mr.  Cochran  to  the  art  gallery 
in  Washington,  which  was  founded  by  him  and  bears  his 
honored  name. 

“But  as  the  campaign  drew  on  apace,  my  delightful  visit 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


496 

was  destined  to  come  to  an  end.  My  husband  had  loved  to 
dwell  with  devout  thankfulness  upon  the  happy  winter  we 
had  spent  in  Winchester  together;  but  his  last  visit  exceeded 
that  in  happiness,  for  it  had  the  additional  charm  of  the  at- 
traction of  the  lovely  child  that  God  has  given  us,  and  this 
greatly  intensified  his  delight  and  enjoyment. 

“My  visit  lasted  only  nine  days,  when  early  one  morning, 
April  29th,  we  were  aroused  by  a messenger  at  our  door  say- 
ing, ‘General  Early’s  adjutant  wishes  to  see  General  Jackson.’ 
As  he  rose  he  said,  ‘That  looks  as  if  Hooker  was  crossing.’  He 
hurried  down  stairs,  and,  soon  returning,  told  me  that  his  sur- 
mise was  correct — Hooker  was  crossing  the  river  and  that  he 
must  go  immediately  to  the  scene  of  action.  From  the  indi- 
cations he  thought-a  battle  was  imminent,  and  under  the  cir- 
cumstances he  was  unwilling  for  us  to  remain  in  so  exposed  a 
situation  as  Mr.  Yerby’s.  He  therefore  directed  me  to  pre- 
pare to  start  for  Richmond  at  a moment’s  notice,  promising  to 
return  himself  to  see  me  off  if  possible,  and  if  not,  he  would 
send  my  brother  Joseph  (Mrs.  Jackson’s  brother  was  on 
Jackson’s  staff). 

“After  a tender  and  hasty  good-bye,  he  hurried  off  without 
breakfast.  Scarcely  had  he  gone  when  the  roar  of  cannons 
began  ; volley  after  volley  followed  in  quick  succession,  the 
house  shaking  and  the  windows  rattling  from  the  reverber- 
ations, throwing  the  family  into  a great  panic  and  causing 
the  wildest  excitement  among  all  the  occupants  of  the  place. 

“My  hasty  preparations  for  leaving  were  hardly  completed 
when  Mr.  Lacy,  the  chaplain,  came  with  an  ambulance,  saying 
he  had  been  sent  by  General  Jackson  to  convey  me  to  the 
station  as  speedily  as  possible,  in  order  to  catch  the  morn- 
ing train  for  Richmond. 

“My  brother,  seeing  that  General  Jackson  needed  his  ser- 
vices, had  requested  that  Mr.  Lacy  should  be  sent  in  his  stead 
as  my  escort.  He  brought  a cheerful  note  from  my  husband, 
explaining  why  he  could  not  leave  his  post,  and  invoking 
God’s  care  and  blessing  upon  us  in  our  sudden  departure,  and 
especially  was  he  tender  and  loving  in  his  mention  of  the 
baby. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


497 


“A  rapid  and  continuous  rattle  of  musketry  showed  that 
the  battle  was  now  under  way,  and  before  we  left  Mr.  Yer- 
by’s,  we  saw  several  wounded  soldiers  brought  in  and  placed 
in  the  out-houses,  which  the  surgeons  were  arranging  as 
temporary  hospitals.  This  was  my  first  and  only  glimpse  of 
the  actual  horrors  of  the  battle-field,  and  the  reader  can  imag- 
ine how  sad  and  harrowing  was  my  drive  to  the  station  on 
that  terrible  morning. 

“The  distance  was  several  miles;  we  could  hear  the  sounds 
of  battle,  and  my  heart  was  heavy  with  foreboding  and  dread. 
We  were  in  good  time,  and  soon  were  in  Richmond  among 
kind  friends,  for  all  Southern  hearts  were  bound  by  a strong 
tie  in  the  common  cause  for  which  so  many  brave  hearts  were 
battling.” 

Thus  was  the  General,  after  a separation  from  his  wife  for 
over  a year — during  which  he  had  made  the  Confederacy  a 
power  throughout  the  whole  world  by  his  mighty  valor  and 
skill,  and  deserved  some  reward,  if  only  in  the  quiet  presence 
of  his  family — torn  from  her  by  the  ruthless  Invaders,  who 
again  came  to  crush  Lee  and  Jackson  and  take  Richmond. 
Let  us  see  how  signally  they  again  failed.  We  now  come  to 
the  breaking  of  the  life-shaft  of  this  noble  type  of  Southern 
manhood — to  the  last  act  in  his  army  career — one  that  gave 
him  “rest  under  the  shade  of  the  trees” — Peace. 

For  some  time  before  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville  came 
on — and  which  battle  had  given  Mrs.  Jackson  a sudden  break- 
ing up  of  all  her  hopes  and  happy  visit — Jackson  was  fre- 
quently restless  to  end  the  suspense  as  to  the  war,  and  would 
say,  “I  wish  they  would  come,”  Often  when  told  of  the  im- 
mense preparations  being  made  by  the  Northern  authorities  to 
invade  his  country  again,  he  would  say  : “My  trust  is  in  God.” 

From  the  time  Burnside  was  returned  across  the  river  from 
Fredericksburg  to  the  day  the  Chancellorsville  battle  opened — 
over  four  months — the  people,  press,  and  everybody  in  the 
North  devoted  their  time  to  arousing  the  most  intense  feeling 
against  the  South,  and  instead  of  admiring  her  for  the  mar- 
vellous courage,  fortitude,  and  the  flame  of  glory  she  had 
placed  before  the  admiration  of  the  globe  for  examples  of 


49^  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

Americaii  courage  and  devotion  to  cause  and  duty^  they  set 
to  work  to  crush  her  into  abject  ruin. 

The  press  urged  the  arming  of  negroes  in  the  South  by  the 
North,  the  massing  of  “ironsides,”  gunboats,  in  every  port 
of  the  South,  and,  generally,  “to  strike  Southern  traitors  fronr 
the  face  of  the  earth  and  lay  their  land  of  rebeldom  in  waste.” 
Brutality  sprang  from  every  line  written,  or  speech  made,  and 
a more  vindictive  and  venomous  savagery  never  marked  the 
course  of  the  most  alien  nations  than  did  the  course  of  the 
North  at  the  time  prior  and  subsequent  to  the  battle  of 
Chancellorsville. 

It  was  thought  that  when  Burnside  had  been  equipped  for 
the  downfall  of  Richmond,  the  North  had  somewhat  ex- 
hausted its  supply  of  means  and  hate ; but  they  had  Hooker, 
the  new  conquer  or, Having  gotten  rid  of  McClellan  and 
Burnside,  he  stood  at  the  place  of  honor,  in  command  of  the 
“finest  army  on  the  planet,”  and  boasted  that  he  would  do  all 
manner  of  wonderful  things,  mainly,  defeat  Jackson  and  sup- 
press the  South. 

The  range  of  attack  was  wide,  and  the  Invading  cavalry 
scouring  the  country  was  met  by  General  R.  E.  Lee’s  son. 
General  W.  H.  F.  Lee,  and  his  nephew.  General  Fitzhugh 
Lee,  and  other  cavalry  commands,  and  the  demonstrations 
began  four  days  before  the  regular  or  grand  battle  of  Chancel- 
lorsville commenced.  Hooker  was  in  command  of  123,000 
troops — a Northern  general,  writing  to  the  New  York  Herald 
put  the  number  at  159,300 — the  Southern  army  had  less  than 
58,000. 

Hooker  knew  too,  his  war-footing  in  equipment,  munitions 
and  implements  of  all  classes,  far  outmatched  the  poor  war  out- 
fit of  the  Defenders,  but  when  the  time  came  for  him  to  look 
his  Southern  brothers  in  the  eye,  and  confront  them  on  the 
field  of  actual  battle,  he  was  “frightened  at  his  own  temer- 
ity,” says  a distinguished  authority  ; and  set  his  whole  army  to 
the  task  of  making  abatis — cutting  down  trees  and  placing 
the  limbs  and  jagged  parts  outward  from  his  camp,  and  also 
throwing  up  vast  breastworks  all  around  his  army  for  miles. 

Hooker’s  plans  were  after  obtaining  a good  idea  of  the 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


499 


country,  and  he  had  fixed,  he  concluded,  a complete  trap  for 
the  capture  of  Lee  and  Jackson.  It  is  related  that  some  one 
standing  near  at  a gathering  of  Jackson’s  staff,  remarked  upon 
the  danger  of  Jackson’s  army  having  to  retire.  Jackson,  like  a 
flash,  turned  and  said  in  that  quick,  snappy  manner,  “Who 
said  that. ^ No,  sir!  We  shall  not  fall  back.  We  shall  at- 
tack them ! ” 

But  the  question  was  who  should  first  attack ! Hooker  was 
playing  for  heavy  stakes  and  yet  he  had  '•''hid  behind  brush 
heaps''  as  some  of  the  old  soldiers  remarked,  and  if  he 
came  out  the  consequences  were  in  grave  doubt.  It  was  de- 
cided to  meet  feint  with  feint,  and  thus  parts  of  the  two 
armies  not  far  from  their  positions  held  during  the  battle 
fought  in  December,  passed  some  time  skirmishing  and  feel- 
ing each  other.  Stuart  brought  in  reports  that  the  enemy  were 
massing  with  tremendous  strength  immediately  about  Chan- 
cellorsville  (really  a tavern  and  not  a village). 


CHAPTER  XXXIl. 

BATTLE  OF  CHANCELLORSVILLE. JACKSON’s  GRAND  FLANK 

MOVEMENT. WOUNDED  BY  HIS  OWN  MEN  IN  THE 

NIGHT  BATTLE  AND  TAKEN  FROM  THE  FIELD 
UNDER  FIRE. — THE  WORLD  SHOCKED  ' 

AND  GRIEVED. JACKSOn’s  LAST 

DISPATCH  AND  ORDER. 

April  30,  Jackson  began  the  breaking  up  of  his  quarters 
and  “to  get  into  the  saddle  for  the  campaign.”  It  is  said 
that  those  who  had  seen  him  during  the  winter  and  spring, 
surrounded  by  his  papers  and  smilingly  devoting  himself  to 
the  task  of  writing  his  reports,  and  living  the  quiet  life  of  a 
soldier  in  camp,  would  not  have  known  him  scarcely  on  this 
morning. 

On  this  morning  he  was  all  activity.  His  face  was  aglow 
with  the  coming  contest,  and  he  moved  rapidly  and  deter- 
minedly. His  health  being  good,  and  his  hopes  running  high 
with  his  ever  increasing  indignation  at  the  thought  of  the  in- 
vasion of  his  country  by  an  enemy  having  no  just  cause  or 
reason  for  such  a course,  to  say  nothing  of  the  cruelty  of  non- 
exchange of  prisoners,  presents  an  interesting  picture  of  a pa- 
triot-soldier. 

Jackson  was  seen  to  enter  his  tent,  and  soon  some  officers 
came  up,  and  speaking,  attempted  to  enter  the  tent,  when  Jim, 
the  faithful  servant  of  Jackson,  said  : “Hush,  sir,  the  general 
is  prayin’.”  In  about  a quarter  of  an  hour  he  came  out,  and 
his  countenance  was  radiant.  No  doubt  when  Jackson  pitched 
that  tent  he  offered  up  a prayer  to  bless  him  while  there, 
and  when  he  was  about  to  leave  it,  and  as  events  proved,  for- 
ever, he  rendered  thanks  to  the  Giver  of  all  good  and  perfect 
gifts  for  the  many  blessings  extended  him. 

On  the  night  of  the  ist  of  May,  Generals  Lee  and  Jackson 
had  a long  conference,  and  they  drew  aside  from  all  others 
present  to  conclude. 

These  two  generals  wished  to  consider  well  the  coming  con- 
flict, as  they  had  to  face,  with  about  53,000  men,  over  double 
600 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  501 

that  number,  and,  besides  these  heavy  odds,  138  to  378,  the 
enemy  had  every  advantage  of  position  and  general  equipment. 
Lee  and  Jackson  talked  until  late,  and  then  lay  down  to  rest. 
It  was  a damp, chilly  night,  and  although  some  one  had  placed 
a cloak  over  Jackson,  he  awoke  during  the  night  and  sat  up  on 
one  of  the  old  discarded  “Yankee  cracker  boxes.”  Lee  and 
Jackson  sat  upon  these  boxes  while  they  held  their  conference 
that  night.  This  was  the  last  conference  ever  held  between 
these  two  great  men,  and  there  is  to  all  a peculiar  pathos  as- 
sociated with  the  event.  Both  were  especially  sad  that  night, 
and  both  gravely  serious  and  concerned.  Their  men  slept  as 
they  talked,  and  many  of  these  men  never  saw  another  night 
on  earth,  and  as  their  chieftains  talked,  they  held  communion 
with  their  thoughts,  hoping,  yet  fearing,  but  none  knowing 
that  before  another  day  had  closed,  their  beloved  Jackson 
would  be  the  victim  of  an  accident  and  be  taken  from  them 
forever. 

Jackson  took  off  the  cloak  that  had  been  given  to  him,  and 
threw  it  over  another  officer,  and  when  that  officer  awoke  he 
found  Jackson  standing  by  a little  fire,  very  much  chilled. 
This  experience  and  act  of  genuine  friendship  and  considera- 
tion caused  the  lung  trouble  from  which,  with  the  wound  he  re- 
ceived next  night,  resulted  in  his  death. 

Jackson  finally  decided  upon  the  route  he  would  take  round 
the  army  of  the  enemy,  the  great  flank  movement  now  famous 
in  history.  Strange  to  say,  there  are  two  stories  concerning 
this  route  and  the  manner  of  selecting  it ; but  at  any  rate,  Jack- 
son’s brave  men  stepped  out  to  the  whispered  orders  given  in 
the  night,  and  began  their  toilsome  march  of  fifteen  miles  to 
get  in  the  rear  of  the  enemy. 

They  were  nearly  through  with  the  march  when  some  of  the 
men  of  the  Invader  army  who  were  up  in  a tree  saw  the 
Southern  soldiers,  and  reported  their  discovery,  but  not  in  time 
to  prevent  Jackson  from  corning  in  on  the  foe  while  they  were 
preparing  their  supper.  The  men  under  Rodes  sprang  upon 
the  enemy  with  the  yell  they  had  heard  before,  and  which 
meant  death ; they  rushed  from  their  places,  leaving  every- 
thing behind,  and  made  a wild  rush  for  protection  from  the 


502 


Storv  of  Stonewall  Jackson 


deadly  fire  of  the  Defenders  which  was  piling  up  every  space 
with  dead  and  wounded. 

Three  miles  of  racing  with  the  rattle  of  the  Defenders’ 
rifles  in  their  ears,  and  constantly  falling  of  comrades!  One 
instance  of  the  personnel  of  the  “heroic  and  loyal  soldiery  of 
the  North”  may  be  related  : When  Jackson’s  men  struck  the 
enemy  there  were  about  10,000  Germans  in  their  front,  some 
of  them  could  not  speak  English,  and  in  the  dash  they  ran 
down  the  men  who  tried  to  rally  the  rout,  and  these  men, 
these  foreigners,  were  representatives  of  much  of  the  file  of 
the  army  of  the  North,  who  shot  and  killed  Americans  on 
their  own  soil.  Generals  Carl  Schurz  and  Buschbech  were  in 
the  rout. 

Night  had  come  on,  and  Jackson  was  riding  everywhere 
among  the  confused  mass  of  troops  and  ordering  them  to  fall 
in,  and  asking  whose  command  the  detached  troops  belonged 
to.  There  was  great  confusion,  owing  to  the  darkness.  He 
finally  called  an  officer,  Colonel  Cobb  of  44th  Virginia,  and 
told  him  to  tell  the  men  for  him,  that  they  must  form  and 
get  into  order. 

He  sent  word  to  General  Rodes  to  hold  the  barricades 
which  Hooker  had  made  on  the  east,  south  and  west  to  keep 
the  Southern  troops  out.  The  enemy,  preceded  by  a flag  of 
truce,  for  a moment  stopped  Rodes,  and  this  gave  time  for 
their  trick  to  partially  succeed  before  they  were  detected, 
captured  and  sent  to  the  rear.  In  the  general  confusion  that 
followed.  General  fackson  was  shot  by  his  own  men. 

The  woods  around  the  battle  grounds  were  thick  and  filled 
with  undergrowth  of  all  kinds,  and  as  the  men  stirred  the 
echoes  with  the  fire  of  rifle  and  cannons,  deer  and  other  game 
ran  in  every  direction. 

Jackson  had  made  a forced  march,  and  it  is  said  that  when 
he  was  told  by  some  of  the  couriers  from  the  rear  guard,  that 
the  enemy  were  after  his  wagon 'train,  he  asked  if  they  had 
gotten  any  ammunition  wagons,  and  upon  being  assured  in  the 
negative,  he  said,  “Ah  do  not  let  them  get  the  ammunition 
wagons.  Whip  them  off,”  and  in  the  next  breath  would 
command  the  men  to  “Press  forward!  press  forward!  press 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  503 

forward  !”  It  is  related  that  so  eager  was  he  to  accomplish  this 
flank  movement,  that  he  even  leaned  forward  in  his  saddle  and 
often  repeated  the  order,  “Press  forward,  men,  press  forward  ! ” 

This  was  a glorious  battle  for  Jackson.  His  flank  move- 
ment was  brilliantly  successful.  Some  have  doubted  that  he 
suggested  it,  but  there  is  only  the  shade  of  that  “old  myste- 
rious jealousy”  in  such  a hint.  Lee  was  struck  with  the  au- 
dacity of  the  suggestion  when  Jackson  named  it  in  their  con^ 
ference.  He  showed  Lee  that  by  a march  of  about  fifteen 
miles  he  could  flank  Hooker  and  get  in  behind  his  breast- 
works, and  strike  where  and  when  he  was  not  expecting. 
The  building  of  the  abatis  of  fallen  trees,  heavy  logs  and  dirt, 
showed  that  the  attack  was  expected  elsewhere.  To  attack 
the  rear  of  an  enemy  was  Jackson’s  record  against  McClellan 
and  Pope. 

When  Jackson  replied  to  the  question  from  General  Lee  as 
to  what  he  had  to  make  the  attack  with,  it  was  decided  to 
divide  the  troops  and  give  Jackson  30,000,  which  he  took  and 
went  with  them,  on  the  historic  flank  movement.  This  move 
placed  about  100,000  of  the  Invaders  between  Jackson  and 
and  Lee’s  forces — in  splitting  the  Southern  forces,  the  North- 
ern forces  were  put  in  between  them.  Neither  Jackson’s  nor 
Lee’s  men  wavered  at  the  frightful  risk  this  move  made  pos- 
sible, but  went  at  their  task  deliberately  and  determinedly, 
with  faith  in  their  leaders  and  cause. 

When  the  foes  saw  the  Southern  troops  moving,  from  what 
little  they  could  see  of  the  movement,  it  was  in  the  direction 
of  Richmond,  and  immediately  Hooker  decided  that  the  en- 
emy were  in  retreat  and  sent  an  order  about  4 p.  m.,  “We 
know  the  enemy  is  flying;  trying  to  save  his  train.”  Read 
this  from  Jackson  on  the  same  afternoon  and  see  how  near 
Hooker  was  right. 

“Near  3 p.  m..  May  2d,  1863. 

“General:  The  enemy  has  made  a stand  at  Chancellors, 
which  is  about  two  miles  from  Chancellorsville.  I hope  as 
soon  as  practicable  to  atttack.  I trust  that  an  ever  kind 
Providence  will  bless  us  with  great  success. 

Respectfully, 

T.  J.  Jackson,  Lt.  Genl. 


“General  R.  E.  Lee. 


504  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

“The  leading  division  is  up  and  the  next  appears  to  be 
well  closed.  T.  J.  J.” 

(The  above  is  a copy  of  his  last  dispatch — Facsimile  is  shown  herein.) 

(Jackson  remarked,  while  resting  on  his  couch  the  next  day 
after  he  was  wounded,  just  after  receiving  a note  from  Lee, 
‘‘General  Lee  is  very  kind,  but  he  should  give  the  glory  to 
God,”  and  later  said,  “Our  movements  yesterday  were  a 
great  success ; I think,  the  most  successful  military  movement 
of  my  life.  But  I expect  to  receive  far  more  credit  for  it  than 
I deserve.  Most  men  will  think  I had  planned  it  all  from  the 
first ; but  it  was  not  so — I simply  took  advantage  of  circum- 
stances as  they  were  presented  to  me  in  the  providence  of  God, 
I feel  that  His  hand  led  me  ; let  us  give  Him  all  the  glory.”) 

When  the  final  charge  came,  Jackson,  it  is  recorded,  never 
looked  as  grand  before.  His  magnificent  flank  march  was  a 
success.  His  rapid  movement  had  completely  astounded  the 
enemy,  and  while  they  formed  to  attempt  to  drive  him  off,  he 
charged  with  his  matchless  men  of  splendid  valor,  who  never 
before  so  grandly  illustrated  the  courage  of  their  hearts.  He 
was  seen  to  pray  while  the  charge  was  in  motion. 

He  had  risen  from  a small  command  to  the  next  highest  po- 
sition in  the  whole  army,  and  had  won  the  love  of  that  noble 
man  in  whom  he  trusted  with  such  confidence  that  he  told  a 
friend  he  would  “follow  Lee  blindfold.”  “Lee  is  a phenome- 
non,” he  often  said.  He  Was  at  this  moment  in  the  gigantic 
struggle  that  promised  to  lift  his  country  from  war.  His  men 
came  to  him  and  begged  him  not  to  expose  himself  to  the  fire  of 
the  enemy,  but  he  was  ablaze  with  the  struggle  before  him,  and 
chafed  for  another  hour  of  day,  saying,  that  if  he  could  only 
have  an  hour  more  he  would  crush  Hooker.  The  glory  of 
the  hour  was  by  him,  and  the  shouts  of  victory  were  ringing  in 
his  ears,  and  he  fought  to  the  last  light  of  kindling  stars, 
when  God  called  him  to  retire  forever  from  the  clash  and 
clang  of  battle. 

Striking  incident  in  connection  with  Jackson’s  fall  and  his 
name,  Thomas  Jonathan,  is  the  similarity  of  circumstance  and 
.position  of  the  military  leader  and  personal  friend  of  David. 


Chandler  House  and  Office — Jackson  died  in  latter — Sunday,  May  loth,  1863. 


P'rom  Last  Photograph. 


Room  in  which  Jackson  died.  In  Old  “Office”  at  the  Chandler  place,  Guinej’s 
Station,  Va.  (Now  used  as  a Cooper  shop. 


WHERE  STONEWALL  JACKSON  FELL. 
I From  “Confederate  Soldier  in  tlie  Civil  war.-’) 


Monument  that  Marks  the  Spot  where  Jackson  Fell. 


(27) 


“Little  Sorrel”  at  Age  of  Thirty  Years 
(General  Jackson’s  War  Horse.) 


“Little  Sorrel”  at  Age  of  Thirty-six  Years.  (Nearly  thirty  years  after  the  death  of  his 

Illustrious  Master.) 


Story  of  Stonewatl  Jackson. 


509 


As  David  would  not  realize  that  Jonathan  was  mortal  in 
battle,  so  the  people  of  the  South  felt  that  as  Jackson  had 
passed  through  so  many  perils  unscratched,  he  was  wearing  a 
charm,  delivered  from  the  Most  High  to  him.  He  was  looked 
to  as  the  anointed  of  God,  to  bring  in  deliverance  for  his  op- 
pressed church  and  country.  The  South  had  no  inspirer,  Urims 
or  Thummims,  but  they  confided  in  the  God  of  Jackson  and  in 
his  Christian  zeal  as  a signal  proof  that  their  cause  was  the 
cause  of  righteousness — when  he  fell,  they  were  in  conster- 
nation. 

David  exclaimed  of  Jonathan,  “How  are  the  mighty  fallen 
in  the  midst  of  the  battle!  O Jonathan,  thou  wast  slain  in 
thy  high  places.  I am  distressed  for  thee,  my  brother  Jona- 
than : very  pleasant  hast  thou  been  unto  me  : thy  love  was 
wonderful,  passing  the  love  of  woman.  How  are  the  mighty 
fallen,  and  thy  weapons  of  war  perished!” — So  also  did  the 
South  lament  of  Thomas  Jonathan  Jackson. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

ACCOUNT  OF  THE  ACCIDENT  THAT  CAUSED  HIS  DEATH. HIS 

WIFE  SUMMONED. DETAILED  DESCRIPTION  OF  HIS 

LAST  DAYS. GENERAL  LEE’s  AND  THE  ARMy’s 

GRIEF. — ‘‘let  us  cross  OVER  THE  RIVER 
AND  REST  UNDER  THE  SHADE  OF. THE 

TREES,”  HIS  LAST  WORDS. FORTY 

YEARS  AND  THE  FUTURE. 

So  much  has  been  said  concerning  the  manner  in  which 
Jackson  was  shot,  and  so  many  conflicting  reports  and  stories 
told,  that  we  deem  it  best  to  quote  the  following,  which  is  con- 
fessed to  be  the  true  facts  in  the  frightful  and  deplorable  trag- 
edy. General  James  H.  Lane  of  North  Carolina  writes : 
‘‘My  last  social  chat  with  General  Jackson  was  on  Hamilton’s 
Heights,  near  Fredericksburg. 

‘‘When  I remarked  that  our  being  ordered  up  from  Moss 
Neck  (where  Jackson  had  wintered),  was  a great  surprise  to 
me,  he  asked,  ‘Why  so?’  and  when  I laughingly  told  him  it  was 
because  he  had  Mrs.  Jackson  with  him,  and  I thought  him 
too  gallant  a soldier  to  allow  his  wife  to  be  at  the  front  in  the 
hour  of  danger,  he  replied,  with  a smile;  ‘Ah,  Lane,  you 
must  not  trust  always  to  appearances.’  Little  did  I dream 
then  that  he  was  to  fall  so  soon  before  the  unerring  rifles  of 
my  brave  men. 

‘‘After  that  brilliant  flank  movement  at  Chancellorsville, 
my  brigade  was  formed  across  the  plank  road  for  a night  at- 
tack. “Push  right  ahead,  Lane,”  was  General  Jackson’s  last 
order.  He  rode  directly  to  the  front,  and  I to  the  right  to  put 
my  line  in  motion.  Suddenly  there  was  a skirmish  fire  in  my 
front,  from  right  to  left ; then  the  sound  of  horsemen ; next, 
the  cry  of  cavalry,  and  then  those  deadly  volleys  from  the 
i8th  North  Carolina. 

The  gallant  Pender,  whose  line  had  not  been  formed,  dashed 
through  the  dark  woods  on  the  right  of  the  road,  calling 
for  “Lane,”  to  whom  he  made  the  sad  announcement  that  our 

illustrious  leader  Jackson  and  General  A.  P.  Hill  had  been 
510 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


5“ 


wounded  by  their  own  devoted  followers,  through  a misap- 
prehension, and  advised  me  not  to  advance. 

“There  are  periods  in  every  man’s  life  when  all  the  concen- 
trated sorrow  and  bitterness  of  years  seems  gathered  in  one 
short  day  or  night.  Such  was  the  case  with  myself,  as  I lay 
under  an  oak,  the  second  night,  black  with  smut  and  smoke, 
and  reckoned  the  frightful  cost  of  that  complete  victory,  and 
reflected  that  in  less  than  thirty-six  hours  one-third  of  my 
command  had  been  swept  away;  one  field  officer  only  left  for 
duty  out  of  the  thirteen  carried  into  action,  the  rest  all  killed 
or  wounded,  and  most  of  them  my  warmest  friends. 

“ISIy  boy  brother,  who  had  been  on  my  staff,  lay  dead  on 
the  field,  and  Stonewall  Jackson,  my  old  professor,  whom  I 
as  a boy,  had  honored  and  respected,  and  whom,  as  my  gen- 
eral, I then  loved,  was  lying  wounded  and  probably  dying, 
shot  by  my  own  gallant  brigade,  those  brave  North  Carolina 
veterans,  whom  I had  so  often  heard  wildly  cheering  him  as 
he  appeared  on  many  a hard-fought  battle-field.  Jackson 
died,  but  his  memory  lived  in  the  hearts  of  his  soldiers,  and  on 
many  a subsequent  hard-fought  field  I heard  them  exclaim, 
“Oh,  for  another  Jackson!”* 

*The  following  appeared  in  the  Atlantic  Monthly,  January,  1873: 

“In  1852,  while  going  up  the  Mississippi  river,  Jackson  made  the  ac- 
quaintance of  a gentleman,  Mr.  Revere,  who  was  afterwards  a major  in 
the  U.  S.  Army  during  the  war.  In  a conversation  with  this  gentleman, 
one  day  during  their  trip  up  the  Mississippi,  the  subject  turned  from 
nautical  astronomy  to  astrology.  Mr.  Revere  saw  the  great  interest 
which  Jackson  took  in  it,  and,  on  parting  with  him  at  thc'Cnd  of  their 
journey,  gave  him  all  the  necessary  data  for  calculating  a horoscope. 

“A  short  time  after%vards  Mr.  Revere  received  a letter  from  Jackson 
enclosing  a scheme  of  their  nativities,  from  which  it  appeared  that 
their  destinies  would  run  in  parallel  lines,  and  that  somewhere  about 
the  first  days  of  May,  1863,  they  would  both  be  exposed  to  great  dan- 
ger. The  letter  and  its  prophecy  were  both  soon  forgotten  by  Mr. 
Revere. 

“At  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville  {in  May , 1863) , he,  Mr.  Revere, 
commanded  a brigade  in  the  Northern  Army,  and  while  inspecting  his 
picket  line  saw  a party  of  horsemen  approaching  from  the  direction  of 
the  Confederate  line.  I leave  him  to  relate  what  followed.  ‘The  fore- 
most horseman  detached  himself  from  the  main  body,  which  halted 
not  far  from  us,  and  riding  cautiously  nearer,  seerned  to  try  and  pierce 


513  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

When  Jackson  was  shot,  his  horse  was  frightened  for  the 
first  time  by  the  sounds  of  battle.  He  was  riding  the  same 
horse,  “Little  Sorrel,”  that  carried  him  through  many  battles; 
but  the  horse  was  thoroughly  frightened,  and  as  the  bridle 
arm  was  the  one  shot,  he  could  not  very  well  manage  the 
fleeing  horse  with  his  other  hand,  which  was  also  shot,  and 
he  was  dragged  through  the  heavy  brush  and  some  limbs 
scratched  his  face.  Finally  he  got  control  and  brought  the 
horse  back  into  his  line  ; he  had  been  running  toward  the 
enemy.  By  this  fire  several  of  the  escor  ts  were  killed  or 
wounded. 

When  he  got  back  a short  distance,  his  chief  signal  officer, 

the  gloom.  He  was  so  close  to  us  that  the  soldier  nearest  me  leveled 
his  rifle  for  a shot  at  him, but  I forbade  him  as  I did  not  wish  to  have 
our  position  revealed,  and  it  would  have  been  useless  to  kill  the  man, 
whom  I judged  to  be  a staff  officer  making  a reconnoissance. 

“ ‘Having  completed  his  observations,  this  person  rejoined  the  group 
in  his  rear,  and  all  returned  in  a gallop.  The  clatter  of  hoofs  soon 
ceased  to  be  audible,  and  the  silence  of  night  was  unbroken  save  by  the 
melancholy  cries  of  the  whip-poor-will,  when  of  a sudden  the  horizon 
was  lightened  up  by  a sudden  flash  in  the  direction  of  the  enemy,  suc- 
ceeded by  the  well  known  rattle  of  a volley  of  musketry  from  at  least  a 
battalion.  A second  volley  followed  the  first,  and  I heard  cries  in  the 
same  direction.  Fearing  that  some  of  our  troops  might  be  in  that  lo- 
cality, and  that  there  was  danger  of  our  firing  upon  friends,  I left  my 
orderly  and  rode  toward  the  Confederate  lines.  A riderless  horse 
dashed  past  me,  and  I reined  up  in  the  presence  of  a group  of  several 
persons  gathered  around  a man  lying  on  the  ground,  apparently  badly 
wounded. 

“ ‘I  saw  at  once  that  these  were  Confederate  officers,  but  reflected 
that  I was  well  armed  and  mounted,  and  that  I had  on  the  great  coat  of 
a private  soldier,  such  as  is  worn  by  both  parties.  I sat  still,  regarding 
the  group  in  silence,  but  prepared  to  use  either  my  spurs  or  sabre  as 
occasion  might  demand.  The  silence  was  broken  by  one  of  the  Confed- 
erates, who  appeared  to  regard  me  with  astonishment.  Then,  speak- 
ing in  tones  of  authority,  he  ordered  me  to  ride  up  there  and  see  what 
troops  those  were,  indicating  the  rebel  position.  I instantly  made  a 
i>-esture  of  assent,  and  rode  slowly  in  the  direction  indicated  until  out 
of  sight  of  the  group,  then  made  a circuit  around  it  and  returned  with- 
in my  lines.  Just  as  I had  answered  the  challenge  of  our  picket,  the 
section  of  our  artillery  posted  on  the  plank  road  began  firing,  and  I could 
plainly  hear  the  grape  crashing  through  the  trees  near  the  spot  occu- 
pied by  the  group  of  Confederate  officers.’” 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  513 

Captain  Wilbourne,  assisted  him  to  the  ground,  and  the 
horse,  again  taking  fright,  ran  into  the  enemy’s  lines,  and  in 
the  confusion  of  the  night,  and  men  scarcely  knowing  friend 
from  foe,  the  horse  was  gotten  by  some  Southern  troops. 
Lieutenant  Morrison,  Mrs.  Jackson’s  brother,  ran  to  the 
place  where  the  shooting  was  going  on  and  finally  got 
them  to  stop.  His  horse  was  killed  under  him.  He  got  back 
to  find  his  commander  prostrate  on  the  ground. 

Jackson  was,  at  the  time  he  was  wounded,  wearing  a rub- 
ber overcoat ; this  was  cut  open  to  get  at  the  wounded  arm, 
which  was  bleeding  freely.  General  Hill,  who  was  not  far  off. 
being  informed,  came  at  once  to  the  scene.  General  Hill 
asked  him  if  he  was  much  hurt,  and  he  replied,  “Yes,  Gen- 
eral, I think  I am,  and  all  my  wounds  were  from  my  own 
men.  I believe  my  arm  is  broken,  it  gives  me  severe  pain.” 
General  Hill  asked  him  if  he  was  hurt  elsewhere,  and  he  re- 
plied, “Yes,  in  my  right  hand.”  But  when  asked  if  he 
wanted  it  bound  up,  replied,  “No,  it  is  a trifle,  nevermind.” 
Two  bones  were  broken  in  his  hand  and  the  palm  was  al- 
most pierced  through. 

He  would  not  complain  and  was  self-possessed,  would  an- 
swer all  questions  calmly.  He  asked  for  Dr.  McGuire.  Dr. 
Barr  was  called  to  him  until  Dr.  McGuire  could  reach  him. 
Dr.  McGuire  was  some  distance  in  the  rear,  among  the 
wounded. 

His  haversack  was  taken  from  his  shoulders  and  contained 
two  religious  tracts  and  a few  official  'papers.  How  charac- 
teristic of  this  simple  Christian  soldier.  He  carried  the  pa- 
pers of  his  two  armies — the  Cross  and  the  Cause.  This  haver- 
sack is  in  possession  of  Mrs.  Jackson,  and  loaned  to  the  Con- 
federate Museum  at  Richmond.  It  is  a plain,  shabby  looking, 
worn  leather  bag  with  a strap  attached  to  it.  This  strap  was 
used  to  throw  over  his  shoulders  and  hold  the  haversack. 

Whife  these  tragic  scenes  were  being  enacted,  two  men  be- 
longing to  the  Invader  army  came  out  of  the  dense  forest  and 
were  captured  and  sent  to  the  rear ; whether  they  intended 
harm  or  not  no  one  knew,  but  their  guns  were  fixed  to  fire, 
and  they  were  within  a few  feet  of  the  Jackson  party.  An- 


514  Story  of  Stonewarl  Jackson 

other  incident  occurred  which  we  relate  in  a foot  note.  The 
dangers  were  increasing,  and  Lieutenant  Morrison,  Jackson’s 
brother-in-law,  hearing  voices  very  near,  went  to  examine, 
and  ran  back  to  tell  General  Hill  that  the  artillery  was  within  a 
liundred  yards,  and  it  was  preparing  to  engage  in  action. 

General  Jackson  was  then  taken  to  the  rear  immediately, 
with  orders  that  no  one  should  tell  who  was  wounded.  Gen- 
eral Hill  returned  to  his  command  and  was  soon  himself 
wounded  and  disabled.  Lieutenants  Morrison  and  Smith  to- 
gether with  Captain  Leigh  of  General  Hill’s  staff  and  a 
courier  pow  took  Jackson  up  in  their  arms,  but  upon  his  tell- 
ing them  that  he  was  suffering  too  much  to  be  carried,  and  re- 
questing them  to  let  him  walk,  they  managed  to  assist  him  in 
dragging  himself  to  the  pike  (road). 

Scarcely  liad  they  gotten  in  the  road  when  the  cannons  be- 
gan to  sweep  it  with  canister,  the  balls  struck  the  ground  all 
about  them,  and  fire  flew  out  from  the  flinty  gravel  and  stones 
around  them,  the  limbs  of  trees  fell,  and  the  party  lay  down  be- 
side the  road,  the  situation  growing  more  desperate  every 
moment  as  the  fire  of  the  artillery  increased  ; once  the  wounded 
chief  started  to  rise,  but  his  faithful  young  Lieutenant  held 
him,  and  implored  him  not  to  try  to  rise  as  death  would  cer- 
tainly follow.  He  literally  shielded  Jackson  by  exposing  his 
own  body  to  the  enemy’s  fire. 

These  young  men,  at  the  risk  of  their  lives,  hovered  over  their 
loved  General.  Soon  the  enemy  changed  their  canister-shot  for 
shells,  and  the  road  being  no  longer  raked  by  the  deadly  mis- 
siles, the  young  men  managed  to  get  Jackson  to  his  feet,  and 
lie  painfully  dragged  himself  to  the  rear,  with  their  aid  ; they 
holding  him  in  their  arms.  Rev.  Dr.  Smith  of  Richmond, 
Virginia,  was  one  of  Jackson’s  attendants  on  that  fearful  night. 
This  was  the  first  time  in  Jackson’s  life  he  had  ever  faced  for 
the  rear  in  time  of  battle,  and  it  was  his  last.  Alas!  when  he 
turned  his  back  to  the  Invaders — his  career  was  ended*  as  was 
ended  that  of  his  country. 

Defenders  rushing  to  the  front  through  the  moonlight,  meet- 
ing the  party  asked,  “Whom  have  you  there.?”  The  General 
told  them  to  tell  the  troops, “/V  A a Confederate  off.cer he  then 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


5^5 


told  them  to  take  him  from  the  road  and  go  through  the  woods. 
Soon  an  officer  came  up — his  brave  Pender  of  North  Carolina 
— he  at  once  recognized  Jackson,  and  exclaimed,  “Great  God! 
It  is  General  Jackson!”  He  went  to  Jackson’s  side  and  ex- 
pressing his  deep  regret  said,  “The  troops  have  suffered  se- 
verely from  the  enemy’s  artillery  and  are  somewhat  demoral- 
ized ; I fear  we  cannot  maintain  our  position,” 

Jackson  was  wounded,  in  agony,  and  weak  from  loss  of 
blood;  but  he  was  still  Jackson,  and  almost  rising  he  said 
with  his  accustomed  emphasis  and  vim  : “You  must  hold 
YOUR  GROUND,  GENERAL  PeNDER,  YOU  MUST  HOLD  YOUR 
GROUND,  sir!”  This  was  Jackson’s  last  public  order  on  the 
field  of  battle. 

He  grew  faint  and  asked  to  be  permitted  to  rest ; but  the 
danger  of  capture  and  the  enemy’s  fire  were  too  close  at 
hand,  and  a litter  having  by  this  time  arrived,  he  was  placed 
upon  it.  The  young  officers  took  up  their  suffering  General 
again,  having  to  make  their  way  through  the  woods  on 
account  of  exposure  in  the  road  from  troops  (all  wanted  the 
fact  of  Jackson’s  being  disabled  kept  secret)  and  the  fire  of 
the  enemy.  The  thicket  was  dense,  and  he  was  scarred  from 
the  sharp  twigs ; even  his  clothing  was  torn,  but  this  was 
a trifle  to  the  agony  he  experienced  when  thrown  from  the 
litter. 

One  of  the  men  bearing  him  was  shot  in  the  arm  and  so 
stunned  that  his  arm  gave  way,  and  Jackson  fell  to  the  ground, 
falling  on  his  wounded  arm.  For  the  first  time  he  groaned. 

The  blood  again  began  to  flow  from  the  wound,  and  in  the 
moonlight  Lieutenant  Smith  saw  a deathly  pallor  cross  the 
face  of  his  beloved  chief,  and  leaning  over  him  said:  “Oh, 
General,  are  you  seriously  hurt?”  Jackson  told  him,  “No,  and 
not  to  trouble  himself  about  him,”  and  added  something  about 
winning  the  battle  first  and  attending  to  the  wounded  after- 
wards ; but  all  he  said  could  not  be  heard  fully.  Pie  was 
again  placed  upon  the  litter  and  after  going  a few  hundred 
yards  Dr.  McGuire  came  hurrying  on  with  an  ambulance. 

The  general  of  so  many  battles,  who  had  passed  through 
tempests  of  lead  and  iron  on  a dozen  fields  of  carnage,  had 


5i6  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

been  with  his  surgeon  among  the  wounded  and  dying,  sick 
and  dead  on  many  days  and  nights  in  the  past  two  years, 
had  learned  to  admire  each  other — now  met  as  surgeon 
and  wounded  General.  The  night  was  one  seldom  witnessed 
by  man ; a night  battle  of  furious  force  was  in  progress  about 
them,  shells  were  bursting  in  the  air,  and  death  was  every- 
where, the  scene  was  lighted  up  by  the  pale  moonlight  and  the 
red  flash  of  cannon  fire  and  bursting  shells. 

Dr.  McGuire  said,  “I  hope  you  are  not  badly  hurt.  Gen- 
eral?” He  replied,  “I  am  badly  injured.  Doctor;  I fear  I am 
dying — I am  glad  you  have  come.  I think  the  wound  in  my 
shoulder  is  still  bleeding.”  His  clothes  were  saturated  with 
blood.  The  wound  was  still  bleeding,  and  the  Doctor  help 
the  artery  with  his  finger  an  darrested  the  hemorrhage, 
then  lights  were  gotten  from  the  ambulance,  and  it  was  seen 
that  the  handkerchief  that  Captain  Wilbourn  had  tied  the  arm 
up  with  had  slipped;  this  was  readjusted. 

Dr.  McGuire  writes;  “His  calmness  amid  the  dangers  that 
surrounded  him,  and  at  the  supposed  presence  of  death,  and 
his  uniform  politeness  did  not  forsake  him,  even  under  these 
most  trying  circumstances.  His  complete  control,  too,  over 
his  mind,  enfeebled  as  it  was  by  loss  of  blood  and  pain,  was 
wonderful.  His  suffering  at  this  time  was  intense  ; his  hands 
were  cold,  his  skin  clammy,  his  face  pale,  and  his  lips  com- 
pressed and  bloodless ; not  a groan  escaped  him — not  a sign 
of  suffering,  except  the  slight  corrugation  of  his  brow,  the 
fixed,  rigid  face,  and  the  thin  lips  so  tightly  compressed  that 
the  impression  of  the  teeth  could  be  seen  through  them. 

Except  these,  he  controlled  by  his  iron  will  all  evidence  of 
emotion,  and  more  than  difficult  than  this  even,  he  controlled 
that  disposition  to  restlessness,  which  many  of  us  have  ob- 
served upon  the  field  of  battle  attending  great  foss  of  blood. 
Some  whiskey  and  morphine  were  administered  to  him,  and, 
placing  him  in  the  ambulance  it  was  started  for  Corps  Field 
Infirmary  at  the  Wilderness  tavern.” 

Colonel  Crutchfield,  his  chief  of  artillery,  was  wounded  and 
placed  in  the  same  ambulance.  Jackson  enquired  after  him  very 
feelingly  and  earnestly,  and  drawing  my  head  down  to  him. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


517 


whispered  and  asked  if  Colonel  Crutchfield  was  seriously- 
wounded.  The  Doctor  told  him  that  the  Colonel  was  pain- 
fully wounded  in  the  leg,  but  not  seriously,  and  Jackson  said: 

“I  am  glad  it  is  no  worse.”  The  wounded  Colonel  at  one 
time  cried  out,  “Oh,  my  God!”  and  Jackson  knowing  he 
was  suffering  greatly,  ordered  the  ambulance  stopped  that  the 
Colonel  might  have  some  moments  of  ease  from  the  jolting 
of  the  vehicle,  although  there  was  a mattress  in  the  ambulance. 

On  arriving  at  the  hospital,  or  infirmary,  he  was  very 
much  exhausted  and  was  put  to  bed  at  once  and  whiskey  given 
him  ; the  surgeons  could  not  make  an  examination  for  nearly 
three  hours,  as  his  condition  would  not  admit  of  it.  At  two 
o’clock  on  Sunday  morning  (he  was  wounded  on  Saturday 
night).  Dr.  McGuire  with  other  surgeons  present,  made  an 
examination,  and  when  the  Doctor  told  him  he  would  have  to 
have  the  arm  amputated  and  likely  at  once,  and  asked  if 
he  objected,  he  replied,  “Yes,  certainly.  Doctor,  do  for  me 
whatever  you  think  best.” 

In  a few  moments  chloroform  was  administered,  and  as  he 
began  to  feel  the  effects  he  exclaimed,  “What  an  infinite  bless- 
ing!” and  repeated  the  words  until  he  became  insensible.  The 
wounds  were  found  to  be  such  as  required  the  arm  to  be  taken 
off  about  two  inches  below  the  shoulder,  and  the  right  hand 
being  attended  to  without  any  pain  to  him,  as  the  chloroform 
rendered  him  unconscious  of  pain,  all  was  finished  within  an 
hour.  Dr.  MGuire  in  his  most  interesting  account  of  the  last 
days  of  Stonewall  Jackson  writes  : 

“About  half  past  three  o’clock  Colonel  (the  major)  Pendle- 
ton arrived  at  the  hospital  and  asked  to  see  General  Jackson. 
He  stated  that  General  Hill  had  been  wounded,  and  that  the 
troops  were  in  great  disorder.  General  Stuart  was  in  com- 
mand and  had  sent  him  to  see  the  General.  At  first  I de- 
clined to  permit  the  interview,  but  the  Colonel  urged  that  the 
safety  of  the  army  and  the  success  of  the  cause  depended  upon 
his  seeing  him.  When  he  entered  the  tent,  the  General  said  : 
‘Well,  Major,  I am  glad  to  see  you.  I thought  you  were 
killed.’  Pendleton  briefly  explained  the  condition  of  affairs, 
gave  Stuart’s  message,  and  asked  what  should  be  done. 


518  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson 

“General  Jackson  was  at  once  interested,  and  asked  in  his 
quick,  rapid  way,  several  questions.  When  they  were  an- 
swered he  remained  silent  for  a moment,  evidently  trying  to 
think;  he  contracted  his  brow,  set  his  mouth,  and  was  evi- 
dently trying  to  concentrate  his  thoughts.  For  a moment  it 
was  believed  he  had  succeeded ; his  nostrils  dilated  and  his 
eye  flashed  its  old  fire,  but  it  was  only  for  a moment ; his  face 
relaxed  again,  and  presently  he  answered  very  feebly  and  sad- 
ly ; ‘I  don’t  know,  I can’t  tell.  Say  to  General  Stuart  he  must 
do  what  he  thinks  best.’  Soon  after  this  he  slept  for  several 
hours  and  seemed  to  be  doing  well.  The  next  morning  he 
was  free  from  pain  and  expressed  himself  sanguine  of  recov- 
ery.” He  sent  for  his  wife  by  Lieutenant  Morrison.  The 
following  note  was  read  to  him  that  morning  by  Lieutenant 
Smith.  It  was  from  General  Lee  : 

“I  have  just  received  your  note  informing  me  that  you  are 
wounded.  I cannot  express  my  regret  at  the  re-occurrence. 
Could  I have  directed  events  I should  have  chosen,  for  the 
good  of  the  country,  to  have  been  disabled  in  your  stead.  I 
congratulate  you  upon  the  victory  which  is  due  to  your  skill 
and  energy.”  Jackson  replied,  “General  Lee  should  give 
the  praise  to  God.”  After  a while  he  complained  of  pain 
in  his  side  and  this  no  doubt  was  the  symptom  of  the  final 
malady  that  did  its  part  in  taking  away  his  life — pleuro- 
pneumonia. 

The  battle  was  raging  and  the  sounds  of  the  cannon  and 
musketry  could  be  heard  from  the  hospital.  Jackson  heard 
this  and  ordered  all  his  attendants  that  could  be  spared  to  go 
to  the  battle-field  and  attend  to  their  duties.  The  pain  left 
his  side  during  the  evening,  and  as  reports  were  made  to  him 
by  those  present,  of  the  action  of  the  different  brigades,  his 
face  would  light  up,  and  he  would  show  great  interest. 
Sometimes  he  would  exclaim,  “Good!  Good!”  He  re- 
marked that  “The  men  of  the  Stonewall  Brigade  will  be  proud 
some  day  to  say  to  their  children,  T was  one  of  the  Stonewall 
Brigade.’  ” He  would  disclaim  all  right  to  the  name  himself, 
and  always  said  it  belonged  to  the  men  and  the  brigade. 

He  slept  well  that  night,  and  the  next  morning  when  told 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


519 


that  General  Lee  had  sent  a message  to  move  him,  as  the 
enemy  might  capture  him,  he  replied,  “If  the  enemy  does 
come,  I am  not  afraid  of  them ; I have  always  been  kind  to 
their  wounded  and  I am  sure  they  will  be  kind  to  me.’’  But 
General  Lee  insisted  late  in  the  evening  that  Jackson  be 
moved.  Dr.  McGuire  being  ordered  to  take  charge  of  Jack- 
son,  his  assistant  next  in  rank  was  to  serve  in  his  stead. 

Jackson  objected  to  this,  and  remarked  that  so  many  had 
complained  about  taking  away  surgeons.  When  told  General 
Lee  had  made  the  order  he  said,  “General  Lee  has  always  been 
very  kind  to  me  andl  thank  him.”  Tuesday — nextmorning — 
he  was  taken  to  a point  near  Guiney’s  Station,  and  to  the 
house  of  Mrs.  Chandler.  The  chief  of  engineers,  Capt.  Hotch- 
kiss was  sent  with  a party  of  engineers  to  clear  the  way  of  all 
teams  and  remove  all  stones,  etc.,  from  the  road  likely  to  jolt 
the  precious  burden. 

As  the  ambulance  passed,  the  men  would  raise  their  hats ; 
sometimes  when  a wagon  was  ordered  out  of  the  road  the 
teamsters  refused,  but  when  told  Jackson  was  in  the  ambu- 
lance not  a moment  was  lost,  they  even  taking  hold  of  the 
wheels  and  helping  to  move  the  wagons  and  standing  bare- 
headed while  the  loved  General  p'assed. 

The  route  of  that  carriage  of  the  wounded  chief  presented  a 
scene  that  will  never  be  forgotten.  All  along  the  way  women, 
children,  old  men,  and  sick  soldiers,  or  wounded  men,  who 
could  not  be  at  the  front,  nearly  blocked  the  way  at  times  ; 
and  all  kinds  of  delicacies  were  brought  out  to  the  ambulance, 
and  handed  to  the  distressed  Surgeon,  who  had  to  refuse  them 
though  tears  were  in  the  eyes  of  the  devoted  sympathizers  who 
plead  to  administer  to  the  comfort  of  Jackson. 

He  stood  the  journey  well,  and  talked  freely  of  the  battle  and 
his  plans,  saying,  “yT/y  7ne?i  someti7nes  fail  to  drive  the  e7te77iy 
fro7}i  their  fositioTZ,  but  they  always  fail  to  drive  us 
away.”  He  spoke  of  General  Paxton  and  Colonel  Bos^\ell 
very  feelingly ; they  had  been  killed ; also  of  the  courage  of 
the  men  on  Saturday  and  Sunday  evenings  in  the  night  battle. 

Wednesday  he  was  much  better,  and  the  Doctor  writes  of 
him  as  doing  well,  and  his  wound  healing  about  the  stump  ; 


520 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


and  he  told  Jackson  of  this,  when  he  expressed  much  satisfac- 
tion. He  talked  with  Lieutenant  Smith  and  said,  “Many 
would  regard  these  (his  wounds)  as  a great  misfortune,  but 
I regard  them  as  one  of  the  blessings  of  my  life.”  Lieutenant 
Smith  replied,  “All  things  work  together  for  good  to  them 
that  love  God.”  “Yes,”  replied  Jackson,  “that’s  it,  that’s  it.” 

That  night  he  was  again  suffering  with  nausea,  and  made 
his  servant  Jim  place  a wet  towel  over  his  stomach.  He 
would  not  allow  the  Doctor  to  be  awakened  as  he  knew  that 
for  three  nights  he  had  been  at  his  side,  and  without  sleep. 
About  daylight  Doctor  McGuire  went  to  him  and  says  he 
found  him  in  great  pain,  and  the  consulting  surgeon  and  he 
found  that  pleuro-pneumonia  had  set  in  on  the  right  side. 

The  doctor  also  set  at  rest  the  often  repeated  assertion  that 
Jackson’s  hydropathic  application  of  the  wet  towel  caused  the 
trouble,  as  he  and  the  associate  surgeon  both  agreed  that  the 
fall  caused  the  pleuro-pneumonia,  as  the  effects  of  the  towel 
could  not  have  been  so  quickly  shown.  The  Doctor  says, 
“The  fall  produced  contusion  likely  of  the  lungs  and  extrava- 
sation of  blood  in  the  chest.” 

Thursday  Mrs.  Jackson  arrived.  He  was  much  better  that 
day,  as  the  inflation  that  had  produced  the  pain  and  the 
nausea  were  not  present.  Mrs.  Jackson  had  been  five  days  in 
this  agony  of  suspense  about  her  husband.  The  meeting 
between  husband  and  wife  was  too  sacred  to  relate,  no  mortal 
could  enter  that  moment  with  them.  The  anguish  must  have 
been  crushing,  but  both  bore  up  for  the  sake  of  the  other. 

During  his  illness,  Jackson  spoke  more  than  once  of  the 
blessing  of  chloroform  in  cases  of  extreme  bodily  suffering. 
Mr.  Lacy,  the  chaplain,  entered  the  tent  after  the  amputation, 
and  Jackson  talked  with  him  in  a very  impressive  manner. 
The  Chaplain  had  expressed  his  deepest  regrets  at  the  calamity, 
but  Jackson  held  that  it  was  the  greatest  blessing  of  his  life 
and  that  God  knew  best,  saying  : 

“I  can  wait  until  God  in  His  own  time  shall  make  known  to 
me  the  object  he  has  in  thus  afflicting  me.  If  it  was  in  my 
power  to  replace  my  arm,  I would  not  dare  do  it  unless  I could 
know  it  was  the  will  of  my  Heavenly  Father.”  He  said  once. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  521 

that  when  he  fell  upon  the  field  from  the  litter,  he  thought  he 
would  die  there,  and  gave  himself  into  the  keeping  of  his  God. 
Often  he  talked  of  his  belief  that  God  was  doing  all  things  for 
the  best. 

When  General  Lee  was  informed  of  the  victory,  and  about 
the  same  time  of  Jackson’s  fearful  misfortune,  he  said : 

Ah^  any  victory  is  dearly  bought  voliich  deprives  us  of  the 
service  of  Jackson  even  for  a short  timey  Lee  was  told 
that  Jackson  had  said,  “The  enemy  should  be  pressed  in  the 
morning.”  He  at  once  said,  “Those  people  shall  be  pressed 
immediately,”  and  began  the  rout  of  the  enemy’s  forces. 
Stuart  when  he  ordered  the  charge  cried,  “Charge!  And 
REMEMBER  Jackson!”  It  was  remembered,  as  the  turn  of 
battle  showed,  that  Jackson,  though  wounded  unto  death,  still 
lived  in  the  hearts  of  his  men,  and  that  Lee  carried  out  Jack- 
son’s wishes  and  pressed  the  foe. 

Jackson  said,  when  asked  about  Hooker’s  plan  of  battle  : 
“It  was  excellent,  but  he  should  not  have  sent  away  his  cav- 
alry. This  away,  I entered  his  rear.”  On  Tuesday  of  his 
week  of  illness,  he  was  told  that  Hooker  was  intrenched  north 
of  Chancellorsville,  and  he  remarked  at  once,  “This  is  bad ; 
very  bad.  ” He  went  to  sleep,  and  waking,  drowsed  by  the 
medicines,  he  said,  “Send  and  see  if  there  is  higher  ground 
back  of  Chancellorsville.” 

He  was  confident  of  his  recovery,  and  at  all  times  spoke  of 
his  longing  to  get  to  Lexington  where  in  the  quiet  and  moun- 
tain air  he  would  soon  be  well  again.  Each  day  he  had  prayers 
by  his  bedside  with  the  chaplain,  and  while  he  felt  that 
there  was  yet  work  for  him  to  do,  he  submitted  always  in  his 
prayers  to  the  will  of  God. 

His  wife  gives  an  account  of  his  great  change  in  appearance 
after  he  was  wounded,  and  yet  he  kept  up  his  wonderful 
courage,  and  would  tell  her  to  be  cheerful  and  not  wear  a long 
face  ; that  he  liked  cheerfulness  in  the  sick  room.  At  times  he 
would,  when  arousing  from  the  stupefying  influence  of  the 
drugs,  say,  “7k//  Major  Hawkes  to  send  forward  provisions 
for  the  men.  Order  A.  P.Hill  to  prepare  for  action.'' 


5^2  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson, 

‘■‘•Press  the  infantry  to  the  front,"  etc  ; showing  that  his  mind 
wandered  back  to  the  battle-fields. 

When  his  wife,  thinking  the  presence  of  little  Julia  might 
cheer  him,  would  suggest  bringing  her  to  him,  he  would  tell 
her  to  wait  till  he  got  stronger.  He  was  invariably  patient, 
and  never  murmured  or  complained ; his  mind  was  on  military 
matters  and  caring  for  his  troops  when  not  engaged  in  medi- 
tations of  his  spiritual  affairs.  Mrs.  Hoge,  the  wife  of  Rev. 
Dr.  Moses  D.  Hoge,  of  Richmond,  came  to  be  with  Mrs. 
Jackson  in  her  affliction,  and  was  a source  of  great  comfort  to 
all ; the  faithful  old  colored  nurse,  Hetty,  remained  to  the  end, 
and  never  wavered  in  her  attentions  to  the  child,  deprived  of 
its  mother  most  of  the  time. 

Saturday  afternoon  he  was  suffering  again,  and  was  very 
much  exhausted,  and  when  Mrs.  Jackson  proposed  reading 
portions  of  the  Scripture  to  him,  he  at  first  said  he  was  too 
wearied  to  hear,  but  in  a moment  added,  “Yes,  we  must  never 
refuse  to  hear  that.  Get  the  Bible  and  read  them.”  He  re- 
quested her  to  sing  some  hymns  after  dark  came  on,  and  she 
and  her  brother.  Lieutenant  Morrison,  sang  a favorite  of  his, 
“Show  pity.  Lord ; O Lord  forgive.”  The  singing  quieted 
him,  and  he  seemed  to  rest  in  perfect  peace. 

On  that  afternoon  he  insisted  on  having  the  chaplain  of  his 
command,  Mr.  Lacy,  brought  to  him,  and  he  talked  to  him 
concerning  the  religious  matters  in  the  army,  and  gave  signs 
of  much  satisfaction  when  told  they  were  not  being  neglected. 
Among  his  last  thoughts  was  the  welfare  of  his  army’s 
spiritual  being.  Mr.  Lacy  saw  the  end  was  near  and  asked 
to  be  allowed  to  remain  with  him,  but  Jackson  declined,  telling 
him  he  must  go  to  the  men  and  pray  with  them. 

When  told  by  Major  Pendleton,  after  being  asked  by  Jack- 
son,  that  Mr.  Lacy  was  preaching  that  day  (Sunday)  to  the 
men,  and  that  the  whole  army  was  praying  for  him,  he  said, 
“Thank  God,  they  are  very  kind.”  It  was  on  this  Sabbath 
morning,  the  last  of  Jackson’s  days  on  earth,  that  General 
Lee,  when  told  that  his  comrade  could  not  live,  exclaimed, 
“Surely  General  Jackson  must  recover.  God  will  not  take  him 
from  us,  now  that  we  need  him  so  much.  Surely  he  will  be 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  523 

spared  to  us,  in  answer  to  the  many  prayers  which  are  offered 
for  him.” 

Upon  Mr.  Lacy’s  leaving,  he  said,  “When  you  return  I 
trust  you  will  find  him  better.  When  a suitable  occasion 
offers,  give  him  my  love  and  tell  him  that  I wrestled  in 
prayer  for  him  last  night,  as  I never  prayed,  I believe,  for 
myself.”  General  Lee,  convulsed  by  his  emotions,  turned 
away. 

Lee  sent  to  Jackson  as  soon  as  he  heard  of  his  being 
wounded,  these  words,  “ Give  hiin  7ny  affectionate  regards 
and  tell  hiin  to  make  haste  and  get  well^  and  come  back  to  me 
as  soon  as  he  can.  He  has  lost  his  left  arm,  but  I have  lost 
my  right  arm." 

On  the  morning  of  his  last  day,  some  brandy  was  given 
him  and  he  said,  “It  tastes  like  fire,  and  cannot  do  any  good,” 
Mrs.  Jackson  writes,  that  upon  being  called  from  the  sick 
room  by  one  of  the  physicians,  Dr.  Morrison,  her  relative, 
and  being  told  her  that  her  husband  must  die,  as  the  doctors 
could  do  no  more  for  him,  and  it  was  his  duty  to  prepare  her 
for  the  worst,  that  she  told  the  doctor  her  husband  must  be 
informed  of  his  condition. 

She  had  heard  him  say  often  that  he  was  ready  and  willing 
at  any  time  to  meet  his  Maker  and  Redeemer,  yet  he  would, 
if  it  pleased  his  Heavenly  Father,  prefer  a short  time  for  prep- 
aration before  entering  into  His  presence.  This  was  a great 
and  heart-crushing  ordeal,  but  God  gave  her  strength  to  per- 
form her  solemn  duty. 

Mrs.  Jackson  says  : “When  I told  him  the  doctors  thought 
he  would  soon  be  in  heaven,  he  did  not  seem  to  comprehend 
it,  and  showed  no  surprise  or  concern.  But  upon  repeating 
it,  and  asking  him  if  he  was  willing  for  God  to  do  with  him 
according  to  his  own  will,  he  looked  at  me  calmly  and  intel- 
ligently and  said,  ‘Yes,  I prefer  it,  I prefer  it.'  I then 
told  him  that  before  the  day  was  over  he  would  be  with  the 
blessed  Saviour  in  His  glory. 

“With  perfect  distinctness  and  intelligence,  he  said,  ‘I  will 
be  an  infinite  gainer  to  be  translated.’  I then  asked  him  if 
it  was  his  wish  that  I should  return  with  our  infant  to  my 


534  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

father’s  home  in  North  Carolina.  He  answered,  ‘Yes,  you 
have  a kind,  good  father,  but  no  one  is  so  kind  and  good  as 
your  Heavenly  Father.’ 

“He  said  he  had  many  things  to  say  to  me,  but  that  he  was 
then  too  weak.  Preferring  to  know  his  own  desire  as  to  the 
place  of  his  burial,  I asked  him  the  question,  but  his  mind  was 
now  growing  clouded  again  and  at  first  he  replied.  ‘Char- 
lotte,’ North  Carolina,  and  afterwards,  ‘Charlottesville,’ 
Virginia.  I then  asked  him  if  he  did  not  wish  to  be  buried 
in  Lexington,  Virginia,  and  he  answered  at  once,  ‘Yes,  Lex- 
ington, and  in  my  own  plot  ” 

“Mrs.  Hoge  now  came  in  bearing  little  Julia  in  her  arms, 
with  Hettie  following,  and  although  he  had  almost  ceased  to 
notice  anything,  as  soon  as  they  entered  the  door  he  looked  up, 
his  countenance  brightened  with  delight,  and  he  never  smiled 
more  sweetly  as  he  exclaimed,  ‘Little  darling!  Sweet  one!’ 
She  was  seated  on  the  bed  by  his  side,  and  after  watching 
her  intently,  with  radiant  smiles,  for  a few  moments,  he 
closed  his  eyes  as  if  in  prayer. 

“Though  she  was  suffering  the  pangs  of  extreme  hunger 
from  long  absence  from  her  mother,  she  seemed  to  forget  her 
discomfort  in  the  joy  of  seeing  that  loving  face  beam  on  her 
once  more,  and  she  looked  at  him  and  smiled  as  long  as  he 
continued  to  notice  her. 

“Tears  were  shed  over  the  dying  bed  by  strong  men  who 
were  unused  to  weep,  and  it  was  touching  to  see  the  genuine 
grief  of  his  servant,  Jim,  who  nursed  him  faithfully  to  the 
end.  He  now  sank  rapidly  into  unconsciousness,  murmuring 
disconnected  words  occasionally,  but  all  at  once,  he  spoke 
out  very  cheerfully  and  distinctly  the  beautiful  sentence  which 
has  become  immortal,  as  his  last.  '■Let  us  cross  over  the  river 
and  rest  under  the  shade  of  the  trees. ’’ 

“Was  his  soul  wandering  back  in  dreams  to  the  river  of  his 
beloved  Valley,  the  Shenandoah  (the  river  of  sparkling 
waters),  whose  verdant  meads  and  groves  he  had  redeemed 
from  the  Invader,  and  across  whose  floods  he  had  so  often  won 
his  passage  through  the  toils  of  battle ! Or  was  he  reaching 
forward  across  the  River  of  Death  to  the  golden  streets  of  the 


Last  meeting  of  Lee  and  Jackson — Chancellorsville. 
(From  “ Confederate  Soldier  in  the  Civil  War.”) 


Jackson  Monument,  Richmond,  Va. 

Presented  hv  English  gentlemen  as  a tribute  of  admiration  for  the  soldier  and  patriot. 


Cabinet  containing  memorials  of  Jackson.  The  property  of  his  widow 
and  loaned  by  her  to  Confederate  Meuseum  contained  in 
White  House  of  the  Confederacy  at  Richmond. 


(28) 


General  Jackson's  Grandchildren, 

Julia  Jackson  and  Thomas  Jackson  Christian,  JGLIA  JACKSON  CHRISTIAN.  THOMAS  JACKSON  CHRISTIAN, 

when  three  or  four  years  of  age.  At  Age  of  Fourteen.  At  Age  of  Twehe. 

GENERAL  JACKSON’S  SOLE  LIVING  DESCENDANTS. 


Stqry  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  529 

Celestial  City,  and  the  trees  whose  leaves  are  for  the  healing 
of  the  nations  It  was  to  these  that  God  was  bringing  him, 
through  his  last  battle  and  victory ; and  under  their  shade  he 
walks,  with  the  blessed  company  of  the  redeemed.” 

“REST  UNDER  THE  SHADE  OF  THE  TREES.” 

“ When  our  work  is  ended,  we  shall  sweetly  rest, 

’Mid  the  sainted  spirits,  safe  on  Jesus’  breast; 

All  our  trials  over  we  shall  gladly  sing. 

Grave!  where  is  thy  victory.?  Death!  where  is  thy  sting? 

CHORUS. 

“ Tho’  the  dark  waves  roll  high,  we  will  be  undismayed, 

‘Let  us  pass  over  the  river. 

And  rest  under  the  shade,  rest  under  the  shade. 

Rest  under  the  shade  of  the  trees.” 

“ Earth  hath  many  sorrows,  but  they  cannot  last. 

And  our  greatest  troubles  quickly  will  be  past; 

If  we  look  to  Jesus,  he  will  give  us  strength; 

By  his  grace  we  shall  be  conquerors  at  length. 

“ When  the  storm  is  over,  sweet  will  be  the  calm, 

After  life’s  long  battle,  bright  the  victor’s  palm; 

And  the  cross  of  anguish  which  now  weighs  us  down. 

We’ll  exchange  in  Heaven  for  a shining  crown.” 

— From  the  Amaranth. — By  courtesy  of  Southern  Methodist  Publish 
ing  House,  Nashville,  Tenn. 

General  Jackson  had  expressed  the  desire,  when  in  health, 
that  he  might  enter  into  the  rest  that  remains  for  God’s  peo- 
ple, on  the  Lord’s  day.  His  wish  was  gratified,  and  his 
Heavenly  Father  translated  him  from  the  toils  and  trials  of 
earth,  soon  after  noon  of  as  beautiful  and  perfect  a May  day 
as  ever  shed  its  splendor  upon  the  world,  to  the  realms  of  ever- 
lasting rest  and  bliss  where 

“ Sabbaths  have  no  end, 

And  the  noontide  of  glory  eternally  reigns.” 

Jackson  died  on  Sunday,  May  10,  1863,  at  quarter  past  three 
in  the  afternoon,  having  lived  thirty-nine  years,  three  months 
and  sixteen  days.* 

*Upon  learning  of  the  death  of  Jackson , General  Lee  was  deeply  grieved 
and  a gloom  spread  over  the  whole  army,  while  the  telegraph  and  special 


53*^  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson 

The  fallen  chieftain’s  remains  were  prepared  without  delay 
to  be  taken  to  Richmond,  Virginia.  As  his  uniform  had  nearly 
been  cut  to  pieces,  in  trying  to  get  to  the  wound,  he  was 
dressed  in  citizens  clothes,  and  over  this  suit  was  placed  a 
dark  blue  army  overcoat,  the  kind  worn  by  a general  officer. 

On  Monday  morning,  under  heavy  military  escort,  he  was 
taken  to  Richmond  in  a special  car.  The  train  stopped  at  the 
edge  of  the  city,  being  met  by  friends  of  the  family,  among 
them  the  Governor’s  wife,  in  whose  care  Mrs.  Jackson,  child 
and  nurse  were  taken  to  the  Governor’s  mansion,  and  the 
funeral  of  the  dead  General,  the  idol  of  his  country,  was  con- 
veyed toward  the  Governor’s  house,  opposite  the  Capitol,  fol- 
lowed by  nearly  the  whole  city. 

The  city  was  dead  to  all  manner  of  occupation  except 
paying  tribute  to  him  who  had  fought  to  save  Richmond,  his 
State,  and  country ; guns  were  firing,  bells  tolling  and  bands 
moved  slowly  to  solemn  funeral  notes.  The  casket  was  en- 
veloped in  the  Confederate  flag — the  flag  of  the  Defenders. 

messengers  sent  the  news  to  all  parts  of  the  world.  The  press  of  the 
North  and  the  people  could  find  aught  with  which  to  reproach  Jackson. 
A few  may  have  spoken  lightly  of  him,  but  after  nearly  forty  years 
these,  if  any  are  living,  would  be  glad  to  add  a word  of  praise  for  the 
life  of  this  noble  American. 

General  Lee  issued  next  day,  Monday,  the  following  brief  order  as  the 
career  of  so  distinguished  a soldier  as  Jackson  could  not  be  more  than 
touched  upon  in  a military  message : 

“HEADqUARTERS  ArMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA, 

May  iith,  1863. 

“General  Orders  No  61. 

“With  deep  grief,  the  commanding  General  announces  to  the  Army 
the  death  of  Lieutenant-General  T.  J.  Jackson,  who  expired  on  the  loth 
inst.  at  quarter  past  3 p.  m.  The  daring,  skill  and  energy  of  this  great 
and  good  soldier,  by  the  decree  of  an  All-wise  Providence,  are  now  lost 
to  us.  But  while  we  mourn  his  death,  we  feel  that  his  spirit  still  lives, 
and  will  inspire  the  whole  Army  with  his  indomitable  courage  and 
unshaken  confidence  in  God  as  our  hope  and  strength. 

“Let  his  name  be  a watch-word  to  his  Corps,  who  have  followed  him 
to  vfctory  on  so  many  fields.  Let  his  ofBcers  and  soldiers  emulate  his 
invincible  determination  to  do  everything  in  the  defense  of  our  beloved 
country.  R.  E.  Lee,  General. 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson,  531 

The  next  day,  Tuesday,  the  remains  were  taken  to  the  Capi- 
tol, where  thousands  of  his  countrymen  looked  upon  the  face 
of  Jackson  ; a privilege  all  remember  to  this  day  with  sacred 
gratification. 

The  public  funeral  cortege  was  that  becoming  the  name 
and  services  of  the  departed.  The  hearse  was  draped  in 
mourning,  drawn  by  four  white  horses,  followed  by  “Sorrel,” 
his  army  horse,  led  by  a groom;  next,  his  staff  officers,  regi- 
ments of  artillery  and  infantry,  then  a vast  array  of  officials, 
the  President  and  cabinet,  the  officers  of  the  Government ; 
after  them  came  the  city  dignitaries  and  hosts  of  citizens.  The 
procession  after  passing  through  the  main  streets  returned  to 
the  Capitol, 

The  pall-bearers  were  headed  by  Jackson’s  great  comrade- 
in-arms,  Longstreet,  and  entering  the  house  of  Congress  of  the 
Confederate  States  of  America,  the  casket  was  placed  upon 
an  altar  of  flowers  forming  the  colors  of  the  Southern  flag, 
white,  blue  and  red. 

“The  Congress  of  the  Confederacy  had,  a short  time  before, 
adopted  a design  for  their  flag,  and  a large  and  elegant  model 
had  just  been  completed,  the  first  ever  made,  which  was  in- 
tended to  be  unfurled  from  the  roof  of  the  Capitol.  This  flag 
President  Davis  had  sent,  as  the  gift  of  the  country,  to  be  the 
winding  sheet  of  General  Jackson.” 

All  through  the  afternoon  the  people  continued  to  come,  and 
so  profuse  were  the  floral  offerings  to  his  bier  that  the  tributes 
covered  the  entire  casket  and  its  supports. 

At  the  hour  appointed  for  closing  the  doors,  the  multitudes 
continued  to  come  and  pass  through,  and  around  the  bier,  when 
an  old  wounded  soldier  was  seen  pressing  forward  to  take  his 
last  look  at  the  face  of  his  beloved  commander.  He  was  told 
he  was  too  late — the  casket  was  then  being  closed  for  the 
last  time,  and  the  order  had  been  given  to  clear  the  hall. 

He  still  endeavored  to  advance,  when  one  of  the  marshals 
threatened  to  arrest  him,  if  he  did  not  obey  orders.  The  old 
soldier  thereupon  lifted  up  the  stump  of  his  mutilated  arm, 
and  with  tears  streaming  from  his  eyes,  exclaimed  ; “By  this 
arm  which  I lost  for  my  country,  I demand  the  privilege  of 


532  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

seeing  my  General  once  more.”  The  Governor  was  touched 
by  this  appeal  and  he  ordered  that  the  soldier  be  granted  his 
petition. 

The  dead  warrior,  more  patriot,  more  Christian  soldier,  was 
alone  with  the  flowers  of  his  grief-stricken  people,  wet  with 
the  tears  of  men  and  women  who  looked  for  the  last  time  that 
afternoon  upon  the  face  of  him  who  so  loved  his  cause  and 
was  so  patient  under  all  His  afflictions  to  him  and  to  all, and  who 
had  left  this  world  in  the  wisdom  of  God  just  as  he  once  again 
had  placed  the  color  of  his  country  upon  a signal  victory,  one 
grander  in  results,  genius,  skill  and  sacrifice  than  all  other  of 
his  victories,  and  so  pronounced  by  him.  There  he  lay,  while 
yet  his  comrades  were  struggling  in  that  cause  for  which  he  had 
given  his  life’s  blood — an  eternal  honor  to  his  country’s  altar — 
to  save,  yackson  was  g'one,  and  the  Confederacy  was  hi  an 
eclipse  prom  which  it  never  passed. 

It  was  the  will  of  God  that  his  people  should  live  to  see 
their  cause  go  down  under  the  overwhelming  crush  of  un- 
limited military  resources  and  ever  increasing  hate — hate  of  a 
powerful  antagonist — and  it  was  well  that  he  fell  while  the 
shadows  were  on  the  noon  of  his  country’s  struggles. 

Jackson  was  under  forty  years  of  age,  but  as  he  lay  there, 
his  name  was  mentioned  in  sacred  adoration  and  sadness 
throughout  the  land,  and  when  the  news  of  his  death  reached 
Europe,  the  porters  of  public  conveyances  announced  as  a 
bulletin,  as  did  other  sources,  the  death  of  “Stonewall  Jack- 
son.”  The  whole  world  felt  that  a mighty  man  had  fallen,  as 
the  press  of  all  lands  declared;  while  in  the  hearts  of  his  coun- 
trymen there  lingered  no  shadow  of  anxiety  for  the  state  of 
their  loved  one  as  they  knew  he  was  with  his  God;  but  in 
their  grief,  away  down  deep  in  their  hearts,  rested  the  fear, 
born'on  that  day,  that  the  flag  around  his  casket,  taken  from  its 
lofty  mission  (which  was  made  for  the  Capitol  at  Richmond), 
was  cast  with  him  into  the  grave  as  an  omen  of  the  end. 

On  Wednesday  the  journey  to  the  tomb  was  taken  up.  The 
Governor  of  the  State,  together  with  other  distinguished  per- 
sons of  the  States  and  the  Confederacy,  military  and  civic, 
oflicially,  upon  this  sad  ceremony,  accompanied  the  remains, 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


533 


and  on  Thursday  afternoon  reached  Lexington.  Nearly  two 
years  before,  Jackson  had  passed  from  his  home,  Lexington, 
at  the  head  of  the  gallant  young  Southerners,  cadets  of  the 
V.  M.  I.  ; he  returned  at  the  head  of  the  military  fame  of  the 
world ! 

On  Friday  the  body  was  escorted  by  the  cadets  and  other 
citizens  to  the  Presbyterian  church,  in  which  he  had  been  an 
officer,  and  one  held  in  high  esteem ; and  Drs.  White,  his  old 
pastor,  and  Ramsey  of  Lynchburg,  conducted  the  services. 
The  text  of  the  funeral  sermon  was  : Fifteenth  Chapter  of 
First  Corinthians;  the  hymn,  “How  Blessed  the  Righteous 
When  he  Dies,”  was  sung.  From  Richmond  to  the  grave  at 
Lexington,  the  devotion  of  the  people  was  shown  by  every 
mark  of  affectionate  honor  and  attention ; many  being  moved 
to  such  grief  as  the  heart  yields  to  only  when  dear  kindred  or 
loved  ones  pass  from  this  earth. 

Here  we  leave  Jackson  to  sleep  in  his  Valley  for  which  he 
fought,  and  whose  beauties  and  generous  gifts  to  his  noble 
army  he  cherished  in  gratitude  only  known  to  Him  whom  Jack- 
son  talked  with,  his  God.  Near  him  lies  his  grand  comrade-in- 
arms,  the  chief  of  his  country’s  armies,  Robert  E.  Lee.  Above 
him  tower  her  mountains  that  told  him  many  secrets  when 
in  life,  as  he  looked  to  them  for  strength ; near  by  glide  the 
waters  of  the  stream  he  passed  many  hours  beside,  meditating 
upon  the  things  that  belong  to  God. 

The  days  will  come  and  go,  nights  will  pass,  snows  will 
fall  and  sunshine  will  touch  the  flowers  about  his  tomb,  dews 
and  rains  will  freshen  the  laurel  planted  there  by  a loving 
hand — laurel  fro7n  the  grave  of  Napoleon.  Thousands  will 
go  there  to  gather  inspiration  and  think  on  the  things  that 
pass  the  even  grooves  of  indifferent  natures,  but  turn  the 
thoughts  of  great  minds  toward  the  Maker  of  mighty  lessons 
in  life-subjects.  Profound  men  will  make  their  pilgrimage  to 
Jackson’s  tomb  to  ponder  the  forces  that  ever  dwell  about  the 
graves  of  “those  who  love  God.’’ 

In  another  part  of  this  book  is  given  extracts  from  sketches, 
letters,  and  lectures  upon  Jackson. 

His  life,  as  a study,  will  attract  the  profoundest  students  of 


534 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


the  creation  of  “Almighty”  made  in  “his  own  image.”  Soon 
forty  years,  four  full  and  most  eventful  decades  will  have 
passed  since,  in  the  wisdom  of  Providence,  Jackson  was  taken 
from  a scheme  of  government — the  Confederacy — which,  had 
it  prospered,  would  have  established  a principle  in  the  affairs 
of  men  Jackson  considered  necessary  to  absolute  inde- 
pendence and  liberty.  In  these  forty  years,  the  memory  of 
Jackson  has  implanted  hope  and  faith,  and  excellent  medita- 
tion, that  has  been  of  unbounded  service  to  mankind. 

This  volume  is  not  designed  to  do  more  than  to  give  an  out- 
line story  or  narrative  relation  of  the  life  of  Jackson.  As  a 
military  career,  his  has  engaged  the  pen  of  one  of  the  fore- 
most military  historians  since  the  time  of  Napier;  so  will  his 
religious  life  be  a subject  for  the  ablest  authority,  each  form- 
ing a separate  study ; while  the  story  of  his  life,  as  a man 
among  men,  and  in  history,  this  and  other  books  will  tell — 
Jackson  had  not  been  dead  one  year,  when  one  of  the  great- 
est statesmen  and  authors  wrote  of  him  the  following : 

“To-day,  when  the  smoke  has  scarcely  lifted  from  the  field, 
and  forms  are  seen  but  dimly,  these  words  may  appear  absurd, 
and  dictated  by  a weak  spirit  of  eulogy  and  hero-worship ; 
but  the  time  will  come  when  the  immense  military  genius  of 
the  Conqueror  of  the  Valley,  will  be  accurately  estimated,  and 
his  statue  placed  beside  those  of  the  greatest  captains  of  his- 
tory.” 

How  abundantly  has  this  prophecy  been  fulfilled. 

John  Esten  Cooke,  that  cherished  author  of  thrilling  war 
literature,  said  of  him  while  yet  the  war  was  scarcely  over  : 

“Jackson’s  military  movements  everywhere  betrayed  that 
subtle  thing  called ^em'z^s.  His  glance  was  like  the  lightning  » 
which  reveals  the  entire  landscape  before  the  benighted 
traveller  and  shows  him  the  road.  Jackson  died  before  he 
reached  the  age  of  forty,  and  had  but  two  years  of  life  for  the 
display  of  his  great  faculties.  But  this  period  was  long 
enough.  In  that  contracted  space  of  time  he  accomplislied 
results  which  will  render  his  name  and  fame  immortal.” 

Rev.  Dr.  R.  L.  Dabney  before  the  war  closed  wrote  upon 
the  life  and  campaigns  of  Jackson.  He  was  intimately  asso- 


Story  of  Stone walt  Jackson.  535 

ciated  with  the  great  man,  and  knew  him  well.  As  a resume 
of  his  work  the  author  says;  “His  reputation  is  manifestly 
no  ‘nine  days  wonder,’  but  one  which  is  destined  to  endure, 
and  leave  his  name  among  the  great  of  all  ages.  Few  or 
none  of  those  who  inhabit  with  him  the  temple  of  Fame,  won 
their  way  to  it  by  a career  so  short.” 

Again  we  would  refer  in  closing  this  story  of  the  lamented 
and  beloved  American,  to  the  beautiful  relationship  that  ex- 
isted between  General  Jackson  and  General  Lee. 

There  was  no  littleness  or  bickering  jealousy  between  them. 

Jackson  spoke  of  Lee  as  a “marvel”  and  said  he  would  fol- 
low him  “blindfold.” 

Lee,  during  preparation  of  the  last  battle  in  which  Jackson 
was  engaged,  sent  this  message  to  him  by  Jackson’s  couriers, 
“Tell  your  General  I am  sure  he  knows  what  to  do.” 

When  Lee  heard  that  Jackson  was  dead  he  is  said  to  have 
not  only  lost  control  of  his  emotions  and  wept,  but  expressed 
to  his  friends  present  the  deepest  affection  for  the  friendship 
between  his  departed  comrade  and  himself,  and  gave  unmis- 
takable evidence  of  his  deep  and  absorbing  anxiety — saying 
he  had  lost  his  “right  arm.” 

These  two  great  souls  have  gone  from  earth  ; their  earthly 
tabernacles  men  have  moved  to  the  same  region  in  the  Vir- 
ginia Valley  by  the  rivers  and  mountains  they  both  loved, 
and  at  Lexington  these  tabernacles  will  remain  until  the  final 
day. 

Monuments  have  been  erected  to  Jackson’s  memory.  His 
comrades-in-arms,  the  survivors.  Confederate  Veterans,  Daugh- 
ters of  Confederates,  and  Sons  of  Veterans  have  named  their 
camps  and  chapters  in  honor  of  Jacfcson,  and  his  popularity  is 
shown  in  the  dominant  number  named  in  his  honor. 

To  the  Stonewall  Brigade  in  a moment  (moments  seem  life- 
times in  battle)  he  gave  this  imperishable  name.  We  have 
spoken  of  the  personnel  of  this  brigade,  and  there  are  sketches 
also  given  of  this  organization.  These  men  seeing  Jackson  the 
hot  July  day  while  his  picture  was  being  taken  “by  the  flash- 
ing of  the  guns,”  learned  that,  like  Napoleon,  his  enemies  to 
“defeat  him  must  imitate  him.” 


53^  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson 

They  knew  that  he  possessed  that  genius  which  Napier 
describes  as  not  extravagant,  but  ardent  concerning  great  ob- 
jects ; the  ability  to  attack  by  simplest  means,  because  its 
facilities  are  essentially  calculating,  industrious  patience. 

Jackson’s  genius  was  creative,  and  his  vast  knowledge  en- 
abled him  to  act  quickly  and  peremptorily,  not  because  it  was 
presumptuous,  but  because  it  was  well  prepared.  They  had 
heard  him  criticised  for  his  severe  marches,  but  they  knew  too 
well  that  many  owed  their  very  lives  to  these  quick  marches 
by  which  the  enemy  was  surprised.  They  knew  that  the  old 
Hungarian  complained  of  Napoleon’s  peculiar  irregularity  of 
method.  They  had  heard  him  say,  “We  sometimes  fail  to  drive 
the  enemy  from  positions  ; he  always  fails  to  drive  us." 

They  knew  that  his  confidence  was  so  perfect  in  their 
ability  to  support  him,  that  they  were  not  surprised  when 
they  would  see  him  as  at  Sharpsburg,  eating  a few  peaches  as 
his  only  breakfast,  while  in  the  fiercest  battle  rage,  and  walk- 
ing among  the  stubbornly  contested  fields  munching  a piece 
of  bread,  likely  his  only  food  for  the  day.  The  splintered 
steel  in  the  air  at  Fredericksburg  did  not  drive  him  from  his 
citrus  repast — a lemon  he  was  sucking. 

Confident  that  his  fame  would  last,  as  they  saw  his  success 
keep  pace  with  the  increasing  largeness  of  his  command  and 
responsibilities,  each  man  cheered  him  in  his  heart,  as  he 
promised  to  himself,  that  he  would  ever  honor  the  name  of 
Jackson,  beingcertain  too,  that  he  would  live  to  see  it  honored. 

Jackson  had  the  genius  of  war.  No  man  ever  surpassed 
him  in  the  essentials  of  war.  Plans!  Where  is  there  a cam- 
paign great  or  small,  in  all  the  war,-  or  in  any  war,  that 
matches  his,  “Jackson’s  Valley  Campaign?”  Did  he  lack  in 
brain?  Who  was  his  superior  as  an  intellectual  soldier?  Had 
he  genius?  Who  possessed  more?  He  had  even  the  genius  of 
the  most  positive  obedience.  Lee  says,  “The  sun  never  shone 
on  such  an  executive  officer.” 

At  Jackson’s  death,  Lee  makes  him  more  than  an  executive 
officer,  for  he  writes  that  it  would  have  been  better  for  their 
country  could  he  have  been  wounded  in  Jackson’s  stead.  Im- 


I JOURNAL,  WEDNESDAY  EVENING,  SEPTEMBER  25,  1901, 


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Stonewall  Jackson  Saved 

McKjlnley  for  the  Nation? 


Was  the  boy  whose  life  was  saved  by 
Stonewall  Jackson  at  the  battle  of  An- 
tietam  no  other  than  William  McKinley, 
the  martyred  President  of  the  United 
States  ? 

The  statement  is  made  b}’  IMr.  Arnold  B. 
Hall,  of  Pendergrass,  Ga.,  who  gives  an 
account  of  the  occurrence  while  paying 
a tribute  to  the  memory  of  President  IMc- 
Kinley. 

The  communication  of  Mr.  Hall  fol- 
lows: 

In  contemplating  the  history  of  men, 
one  is  reminded  of  the  fact  that  some 
are  remembered  as  powers  for  good  in  a 
benighted  world.  The  lives  of  such  per- 
sons are  more  effective  mottoes  than  any 
the  human  voice  might  utter  or  the  hu- 
man hand  might  write.  Our  fallen  chief 
was  such  a man.  Such  men  prefer  be- 
ing a dewdrop,  reflecting  the  colors  of  the 
rainbow,  than  an  ocean  of  mist. 

Horace  Greeley,  the  great  American 
ionrnalist, said:  ‘‘They  win  bloodless  but 
immortal  victories.”  We  may  review  the 
lives  of  Marlborough,  of  Wellington,  of 
Napoleon  himself,  but  we  search  in  vain 
for  a grander  warrior  than  the  man 
whose  victories  “redden  no  river  and 
whiten  no  plain.”  Such  men  regard  the 
glittering  crowns  of  idle  kings  as  caps  of 
fools  in  sawdust  rings,  and  prize  the  trib- 
ute of  a newsboy  higher  than  the  eulogy 
of  royalty.  Such  men  as  our  nation’s  he- 
ro survive  the  w'reck  of  time  and  the  de 
caj'  of  governments,  because  their  spirit 
lives  among  their  countrymen.  “In  the 
happiest  hour  of  all  the  voyage,  while 
eager  winds  kiss  every  sail,  and  sunlit 
wavelets  wash  the  vessel,  in  raid-stream, 


or,  on  the  breakers  near  the  further  end 
of  the  shore,  a wi-eck  shall  mark  at  last 
the  end  of  each  and  all  No  poean  that 
we  could  sing,  no  death  monument  that 
we  could  build,  could  reach  to  that  far- 
away realm  to  which  his  spirit  has  gone; 
but  we  can  emulate  his  virtues,  cherish 
his  memory  and  follow  his  example.” 

McKinley  knew  that  citizenship  is  at 
last  ijartnersliip  in  every  noble  purpose. 
To  him  men  and  nature  appeared  as 
books,  and  events  were  life’s  great  vol- 
ume of  illustrations.  He  labored  for  the 
relief  of  man’s  estate. 

At  the  battle  of  Antietam,  the  bloodiest 
day  in  American  history,  one  (jf  General 
Stonewall  Jackson’s  brave  men  raised  his 
gun  to  fire  at  a Union  soldier  who  stood 
just  opposite  the  creek.  As  he  was  about 
to  fire,  General  Jackson  said:  “Stop,  low- 
er your  gun.  I have  watched  that  boy 
all  dav".  He  is  too  brave  to  be  killed.” 
The  boy  in  blue  was  our  late  president, 
then  only  seventeen  years  of  age.  Those 
words  were  an  eternal  tribute  to  Stone- 
wall .lackson,  and  were  indicative  of  the 
regard  he  had  for  courage,  even  in  his 
enemies. 

Man  may  lay  waste,  man  may  destroy, 
man  may  kill — but  the  summer  remains 
summer,  the  lily  remains  a lily,  the  star 
remains  a star. 

As  with  nature,  so  with  God — He  is  un- 
changeable. As  a final  tribute  to  our  late 
president,  we  might  inscribe  this  humble 
but  not  inglorious  epitaph:  “In  him  man- 
kind lost  a friend,  and  no  man  an  ene- 
my.” IVould  not  this  be  right  for  the 
the  man  who  said:  “Fraternity  is  the  na- 
tional anthem?”  A.  B.  HALL. 


(From  the  Alanta  Journal). 


MR.  WILLIAM  C.  CHASE. 


Dear  Sir:  I am  glad  you  asked  me  for 
my  authority  in  connection  with  the  article 
that  appeared  in  the  Atlanta  Journal  re- 
cently, signed  by  myself,  referring  to  the 
incident  of  the  life  of  President  McKinley 
having  been  saved  by  Stonewall  Jackson 
during  the  battle. 

The  facts  about  my  article  are  as  fol- 
lows: Mr  Ford  McWhorter,  of  Franklin 

County,  an  old  schoolmate  of  mine  and  a 
very  warm  friend,  had  an  aunt  who  was 
educated  at  the  Lebanon  Ohio  Normal.  This 
lady  while  in  attendance  as  a student  at 
that  institution,  heard  a fine  historian 
allude  to  the  incident  in  an  address  on 
McKinley’s  life. 

I have  no  reason  to  question  this 
statement  for  a moment,  as  Mr.  McWhortr-r 
is  a most  truthful  gentleman  and  an  accu- 
rate historian.  I am  also  inclined  not  to 
doubt  the  accuracy  of  this  important  his- 
torical fact,  because,  although  General 
Jackson  was  a raging  fighter,  he  was  also 
a chivalrous  admirer  of  courage , especial ly 
in  the  young,  and  do  doubt  in  the  heat 
of  battle  this  grand  trait  in  his  char- 
acter asserted  itself  in  spite  of  his  an- 
tagonistic surroundings. 

I have  never  heard  of  the  statement 
being  denied,  and  don't  believe  it  can  be 
successfully  disproved. 

I sincerely  hope  that  your  laudable 
undertaking--wr i ting  a story  of  the  life 
of  this  magnificent  product  of  our  South- 
land--Stonewall  Jackson- -wil 1 meet  with 
a success  ibs  mission  and  inberesbs  so 
richly  merib. 


Very  bruly  yours 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


539 


mortal  Lee!  Grander  than  all  that  fancy  fathoms!  Who 
could  compare  Lee  with  any  man.?  Who  could  compare  Jack- 
son  with  Lee.?  They  were  one  and  the  same,  each  reaching 
the  heights  with  pure  methods,  clean  hands  and  with  a 
courage,  confidence,  and  faith,  that  can  have  but  one  degree — 
- superlative. 


. \ 


ADDENDA 


Sketch  of  Stonewall  Brigade  by  Major  Barton  (Last 

Adjutant. ) 

SKETCHES  AND  NOTES  BY  VARIOUS  OFTICERS. 


Personal  Conversations  with  General  Jackson — 
Anecdotes,  Etc. 

I am  requested  to  give  my  recollections  of  the  Stonewall  Bri- 
gade, its  origin,  its  commanders,  its  field  and  line  officers,  its 
brave  men  and  its  glorious  battles.  In  order  that  my  narrative 
may  bear  the  impress  of  authenticity,  I will  be  compelled  from 
time  to  time  to  make  allusion  to  myself.  When  I do  so  I hope 
it  will  be  understood  that  I speak  merely  as  a witness. 

Every  man  who  belonged  to  the  Brigade  contributed  some- 
what to  its  excellent  reputation ; some  in  a greater  degree  than 
others.  I only  claim  for  myself  a fair  average  proportion  of 
the  renown  won  by  all  members  of  the  organization,  and  allu- 
sions therefore  to  my  own  part  in  its  history  are  only  made 
from  the  necessity  which  the  narrator  of  stirring  scenes  of 
which  he  was  an  eye  witness  is  always  under. 

It  is  certain  that  no  part  of  the  South  had  a better  com- 
munity from  which  to  draw  its  soldiers  than  the  Valley  of 
Virginia.  The  countirs  of  Jefferson,  Berkeley,  Clarke,  War- 
ren, Frederick,  Page,  Shenandoah,  Rockingham,  Augusta, 
Rockbridge,  and  thus  onward  to  its  southwesternmost  corner, 
include  the  most  fertile  and  beautiful  portions  of  the  State. 
'No  section  of  the  entire  South  enjoyed  a more  salubrious  cli- 
mate, and  in  no  section  could  one  expect  to  find  a more  vigor- 
ous and  hardy  people.  This  valley,  as  one  looks  at  it  on  the 
map,  seems  to  have  been  intended  as  the  great  highway  from 


542  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

the  densely  populated  northeastern  portion  of  the  United 
States,  southwesterly  through  the  South  to  New  Orleans. 
It  was  in  fact  almost  the  first  portion  threatened  by  invasion 
from  a large  army ; and  so,  quite  naturally,  when  the  South 
took  up  arms  the  men  of  the  valley  were  amongst  the  first 
lo  respond.  In  every  town  in  the  valley  military  companies 
of  old-standing  replenished  their  ranks,  and  new  companies 
were  formed,  and  thus  by  the  rules  of  gravitation  or  propin- 
quity, in  the  spring  of  i86i,  from  the  towns  and  counties  lying 
nearest  to  each  other,  the  various  companies  were  consolidated 
into  regiments.  Thus  the  2d  Virginia  Infantry  was  composed 
of  companies  from  Berkeley,  Jefferson,  Clarke  and  Frederick 
counties.  The  33d  from  Hampshire,  Hardy,  Shenandoah  and 
Rockingham.  The  5th  mainly  from  Augusta,  with  one  or  two 
companies  from  Winchester.  The  27th  from  Rockbridge  and 
portions  of  West  Virginia  (then  a part  of  Virginia),  and  the 
4th  from  the  southwesternmost  counties  of  the  State,  with  an 
excellent  company,  known  as  the  College  Company,  from  Lex- 
ington, Virginia. 

The  first  commanders  of  the  regiments  were: 

2d — Col.  Wm.  Allen. 

4th — Col.  Preston. 

5th — Col.  Harper. 

27th — Col.  Echols. 

33d- — Col.  A.  C.  Cummings. 

By  degrees  these  various  organizations  drifted  towards  the 
threatened  portion  of  Virginia,  the  northern  end  of  the  valley, 
and  were  there  assembled  into  a brigade  under  the  command 
of  Col.  Thomas  Jonathan  Jackson,  a graduate  of  West  Point,  a 
participant  in  the  Mexican  War,  and  for  some  ten  years  prior 
to  1861,  a modest  professor  at  the  Virginia  Military  Institute 
at  Lexington  in  Rockbridge  County.  It  is  enough  to  say  that 
he  subsequently  became  the  soldier  known  all  over  the  civilized 
world  for  his  superb  military  c[ualities ; and  it  is  gratifying  to 
every  one  who  had  any  connection  with  the  Stonewall  Bri- 
gade to  know  that  it  is  indelibly  written  in  history  that,  while 
he  made  the  Stonewall  Brigade,  it  also  made  him.  Had  the 


Storv  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  543 

brigade  been  commanded  in  the  hour  of  its  supreme  trial — the 
first  battle  of  IManassas — ^by  a man  one  whit  less  serenely  cour- 
ageous, it  would  have  yielded  to  the  immense  pressure  and 
awful  strain  to  which  it  was  subjected.  Had  General  Jackson 
been  compelled  to  rely  upon  men  in  ever  so  small  a degree 
less  self-reliant,  bold  and  fearless,  he  would  not  have  won  the 
sobriquet  ‘‘Stonewall.”  It  was  the  pivotal  point  in  the  career 
of  both  men  and  commander.  Between  them  there  was  the  tie 
of  sympathy  and  the  bond  of  confidence.  Intuitively  General 
Jackson  knew  that  the  men  and  boys  of  the  Valley  were  brave, 
and  they  knew  that  the  quiet,  singular,  serene  man  who  led 
them  had  the  confidence  of  a predestinarian  and  the  bravery 
of  an  Agamemnon. 

The  consolidaton  of  the  five  regiments  into  a brigade  under 
Jackson  as  Brigadier-General  occurred  during  the  months  of 
April,  IMay,  June  and  July,  1861.  The  33d  Virginia  went  into 
the  battle  of  first  Manassas  as  a battalion  of  eight  companies. 
Two  others  joined  it  afterwards,  thus  niakng  its  regulation 
number  ten,  complete.  One  of  these  companies  came  from 
Northwestern  Frederick  County  and  from  Hampshire,  and 
Frederick  W.  M.  Holliday,  of  Winchester,  who  was  after  the 
war  elected  governor  of  the  State,  was  its  first  captain.  At- 
tached to  the  brigade"  was  the  famous  battery  of  artillery  com- 
manded by  Rev.  William  Nelson  Pendleton,  who,  up  to  the 
spring  of  1861,  when  he  undertook  the  formation  of  the  bat- 
tery, was  the  rector  of  the  Episcopal  Church  at  Lexington,  Va. 
This  was  the  Rockbridge  battery. 

Before  leaving  Winchester,  Va.,  the  brigade  in  the  early  part 
of  July,  1861,  had  some  little  experience  under  fire  in  the 
valley;  but  the  first  battle  of  Manassas  was  its  real  baptism 
of  blood.  The  particulars  of  that  battle  are  too  well  known  and 
have  been  too  often  written  to  need  repetition  here.  It  is  suf- 
ficient to  say  that,  by  the  fortunes  of  war,  Jackson’s  brigade 
found  itself,  at  the  most  critical  hour  of  the  day,  the  sole  sup- 
port and  defence  of  the  Confederate  army  against  overwhelm- 
ing disaster.  Alligned  on  the  heights,  almost  parallel  with 
the  Warrenton  road  and  near  the  historic  Henry  House,  u 
awaited  for  perhaps  two  hours  the  steady  and  relentless  ad- 


544 


Story  of  Stonewatl  Jackson. 


vance  of  the  enemy.  The  small  and  detached  bodies  of  men, 
which  had  opposed  their  unexpected  advance  by  the  Sudley 
Mills  road,  had  been  overwhelmed  and  were  retreating  in  great 
disorder  and  in  a state  of  great  discouragement.  The  Stone- 
wall Brigade,  numbering  perhaps  about  twenty-six  hundred 
men,  was  held  in  perfect  order  to  stem  this  retreating  force 
and  drive  back  the  enemy.  The  regiments  were  alligned  from 
right  to  left  in  the  following  order : 5th,  4th,  27th,  2d,  33d. 
At  the  most  favorable  moment  the  brigade,  led  by  the  dash 
of  the  33d,  advanced  in  rapid  charge  to  meet  the  advancing 
Federal  line.  The  shock  was  great,  but  under  the  splendid 
influence  of  Jackson  and  the  officers  of  the  command,  the  in- 
trepid brigade  held  its  own  and  broke  and  repulsed  the  bold 
advance.  The  batteries  of  Griffin  and  Ricketts  were  captured, 
and  the  tide,  up  to  this  moment  running  strongly  against  the 
Southerners,  was  stemmed  and  turned  and  victory  to  the  Con- 
federates was  assured. 

The  circumstances  under  which  Jackson  and  his  brigade  ob- 
tained the  name  of  Stonewall  were  remarkable.  They  have 
been  often  told  and  are  probably  familiar  to  every  one  who  has 
taken  an  interest  in  the  Civil  War.  All  know  that  the  gallant 
General  Bee  was  energetically  and  bravely  endeavoring  to  rallv 
his  troops  as,  in  great  tumult,  they  came  back  over  the  War- 
renton  turnpike,  over  the  Henry  hill,  and  in  great  disorder 
were  making  to  the  rear.  Every  one  in  the  South  must  have 
heard  of  his  despairing  cry  as  he  galloped  up  to  General  Jack- 
son,  serenely  biding  his  time  before  he  ordered  his  crouching 
brigade  to  rise,  fire  and  charge,  “General,  they  are  driving  us 
back”;  and  history  has  forever  recorded  Jackson’s  reply,  “We 
will  give  them  the  bayonet.”  Bee,  inspired  by  Jackson,  turned, 
and  as  he  approached  his  men  he  cried  out,  “Look  at  Jackson 
standing  like  a stone  wall ; rally  behind  the  Virginians !”  and 
then  fell  mortally  wounded.  It  will  never  be  determined 
whether  Bee  used  the  exact  words  quoted,  or  whether  he  said 
“Look  at  Jackson  and  his  brigade  standing  like  a stone  wall ; 
rally  behind  the  Virginians.” 

Bishop  Capers,  of  South  Carolina,  who  rose  to  the  rank  of 
Brigadier-General  in  the  Confederate  army,  and  who  was  the 


Storv  of  Stonwall  JacIvSOX. 


545 


editor  or  was  responsible  mainly  for  the  volume  relating  to 
South  Carolina  in  “The  Confederate  Military  History,”  gives 
the  latter  version.  It  hardly  matters  at  all  what  were  the  pre- 
cise words.  I have  often  surmised  that,  as  General  Bee  rode 
up  to  Jackson,  he  looked  down  the  rugged  line  of  twenty-six 
hundred  men  crouching  on  the  ground  in  various  attitudes,  and 
saw  in  the  formation  something  like  the  lines  of  stone  wall  di- 
viding the  fields  in  the  valley  of  Virginia  from  which  he  had 
freshly  come.  However  it  may  be,  it  was  an  inspiration,  and 
Bee  and  Jackson  and  the  brigade  will  go  down  the  ages  in 
glorious  association. 

As  well  as  I can  recall.  General  Jackson’s  staff  at  that  bat- 
tle consisted  of  Francis  B.  Jones,  afterwards  as  major  of  the 
2d  Virginia  Infantry,  mortally  wounded  in  the  battles  around 
Richmond ; Thomas  Marshall,  afterwards  as  colonel  of  the 
7th  Virginia  Cavalry,  killed  in  battle;  and  Alexander  H. 
(Sandy)  Pendleton,  afterwards  assistant  adjutant-general  of 
Jackson’s  corps,  killed  in  battle.  Captain  Jones  was  the  first 
adjutant  of  the  brigade.  Captain  Wingate  was  the  second, 
under  General  Garnett ; Captain  O’Brien  the  third  under  Gen- 
eral Winder ; Captain  Willis,  afterwards  colonel  of  a Georgia 
regiment,  the  fourth,  for  a short  time,  under  General  Paxton; 
and  I was  the  fifth  and  last  under  Generals  Paxton,  Walker 
and  Terry.  Of  these  officers  Captain  O’Brien  and  myself  alone 
survive.  During  the  rather  frequently  recurring  periods,  when 
from  wounds  received  in  battle  I went  to  the  rear  for  recovery, 
Charles  S.  Arnall,  adjutant  of  the  5th  Virginia,  acted  as  ad- 
jutant of  the  brigade. 

With  the  brigade  I was  in  the  following  battles  and  skir- 
mishes after  First  iManassas : Kearneysville  on  the  Baltimore 
and  Ohio  Railroad,' Fredericksburg  (13th  December,  1862), 
Chancellorsville  (2d  and  3d  May,  1863),  Bealeton,  on  the 
Orange  & Alexandria  Railroad  (September  or  October,  1863), 
Paynes  Farm  or  Mine  Run  (27th  November,  1863),  Wilder- 
ness (from  5th  to  I2th  May,  1864),  Bloody  Angle  at  Spot- 
sylvania Court  House  (12th  iMay,  1864),  IMonocacy  (July  or 
August,  1864),  Winchester  (19  September,  1864),  Hatcher’s 
Run  (6th  February,  1865),  Hare’s  Hill  or  Fort  Steadman  on 


54^  Story  of  Stonwatt  jACKbON. 

the  Petersburg  line  (25th  March,  1865),  and  the  retreat  from 
Petersburg  and  surrender  at  Appomattox. 

The  brigade  was  commanded  (permanently  and  temporarily) 
during  its  existence  by  the  following  officers : 

General  Jackson,  died  from  wounds  received  in  battle. 

General  Garnett,  killed  at  Gett3^sburg. 

Colonel  Allen,  killed  at  Richmond. 

General  Winder,  killed  at  Cedar  Run. 

Colonel  Baylor,  killed  at  2d  Manassas. 

Colonel  Grigsby,  who  survived  the  war. 

General  Paxton,  killed  at  Chancellorsville. 

General  Walker,  who  survived  the  war,  badly  wounded  at 
Spottsylvania  Court  House,  12th  May,  1864.  Died  October 
19,  1901. 

Colonel  Funk,  killed  at  Winchester,  19th  September,  1864. 

General  Terry,  who  survived  the  war. 

Thus  of  the  eleven  commanders  eight  were  killed;  six  of 
them  while  in  immediate  command  of  the  brigade. 

In  the  spring  of  1900  I sent  out  quite  a number  of  postal 
cards  to  surviving  members  of  the  brigade,  asking,  among 
other  things,  their  ages,  when  they  enlisted  in  1861,  and  the 
number  of  times  they  were  wounded.  I received  about  eighty 
responses,  and  from  them  I drew  what  I think  was  a fair  in- 
ference on  the  subject.  First,  that  the  average  age  of  the  men 
of  the  brigade  was  twenty-two,  and  secondly  that  if  every  man 
who  belonged  to  the  brigade  was  not  wounded,  wounds  enough 
were  received  by  members  of  the  brigade  to  supply  each  man 
with  at  least  one.  In  other  words,  the  balls  of  the  enemy 
struck  men  in  the  brigade,  sometimes  fatally,  sometimes  not, 
very  probably  three  thousand  times.  It  will  be  recalled,  as  a 
popular  saying  in  time  of  war  (possibly  frequently  said  to 
brace  up  drooping  spirits),  that  it  takes  a man’s  weight  in 
lead  to  kill  him,  meaning  that  while  an  immense  number  of 
balls  are  fired,  the  great  majority  do  not  strike.  The  ex- 
perience of  the  33d  at  First  Manassas  does  not  sustain  this 
theory.  I think  the  authority  is  reliable  for  the  assertion — that 
that  command  went  into  battle  four  hundred  and  fifty  strong. 


Story  of  Stonwall  Jackson. 


547 

and  lost  forty-three  killed  outright,  and  one  hundred  and  forty 
wounded. 

This  review  of  the  brigade  is  necessarily  brief.  So  much  has 
been  written  on  the  subject  of  the  war;  so  long  a time  has 
elapsed  since  it  shook  this  country  from  centre  to  circum- 
ference, and  so  many  of  the  participants  who  survived  have 
died,  that  it  has  become  a story  interesting  only  to  those  who 
were  actors,  very  likely  to  their  children  and  possibly  to  tlieir 
grand-children.  But  to  those  outside  of  this  circle  the  history 
of  the  Stonewall  Brigade  can  have  no  greater  interest  than 
the  history  of  any  other  brigade.  It  would  be  a baseless  claim 
to  assert  that  it  had  no  equal.  I doubt  whether  it  had  a 
superior  in  soldierly  qualities.  I doubt  whether  any  body  of 
men  of  its  size  contributed  more  to  prolong  the  brave  defence 
against  the  invasion  of  the  Northern  army;  and  I do  not  be- 
lieve that  any  command  furnished  more  numerous  instances 
of  gallantry  and  loyalty  to  the  Southern  cause,  individually 
and  collectively,  than  did  this  brigade.  I can  not,  therefore, 
in  fairness,  claim  that  it  was  superior  to  all  the  brigades  in  the 
army,  but  that  it  was  equal  to  any  and  superior  to  many  is,  I 
think,  a fair  record  to  give  it.  But  of  one  thing  it  has  the 
good  fortune  to  be  the  sole  and  exclusive  owner,  and  that  was 
the  honor  of  having  given  to  the  South  its  greatest  soldier. 
General  Lee  perhaps  excepted,  and  Forrest  not  being  far  back 
of  either,  at  least  as  a dangerous,  energetic,  persistent  and  re- 
sourceful foe.  The  brigade,  to  the  day  of  its  dissolution  at 
Appomattox,  was  intensely  proud  of  General  Jackson.  His 
inspiration  was  felt  until  bayonets  were  stacked  on  the  9th  of 
April.  1865.  What  he  said  after  Chancellorsville — “the  men 
of  that  brigade  will  be  proud  to  tell  their  children  that  they 
belonged  to  it” — has  been  verified,  and  to-day  many  a hoary- 
headed  and  exhausted  veteran  finds  inexpressible  comfort  in 
reflecting  upon  his  heroic  days  with  his  old  Stonewall  Brigade, 
and  repeats,  and  repeats,  to  his  children  and  to  his  children’s 
children  that  he  bore  a musket  with  that  famous  command 

Randolph  Barton. 

TOLD  OF  STONEWALL  JACKSON. 

A hitherto  unpublished  story  of  Stonewall  Jackson  is  told  by 


548 


Story  of  Stonwall  Jackson. 


former  Governor  Thomas  G.  Jones,  says  the  Birmingham  Age- 
Herald.  Governor  Jones  was  a student  at  the  Virginia  Mili- 
tary Institute  when  Jackson  was  professor  there  at  the  outbreak 
of  the  war  between  the  States.  Jackson  was  a rather  stern  dis- 
ciplinarian. Jones  had  been  at  the  institute  for  two  or  three 
years,  and  had  come  to  be  a sergeant  of  the  cadets.  He  had 
one  day  to  drill  an  awkward  squad,  and  lost  his  temper  in  the 
work,  whereupon  he  made  the  boys  “double-quick”  around  a 
tree.  He  had  them  “going  it  hard”  when  suddenly  he  heard 
from  behind  him  the  short,  sharp  command,  “double-quick, 
there!” 

“Double-quick !”  repeated  the  wrathful  future  governor  of 
Alabama. 

“No;  you,  sir!  Halt!” 

Jones  looked  behind  him,  and  there  stood  “Old  Jack,”  as 
Jackson  was  called  by  the  boys. 

“You,  sir!  You  double-quick  yourself!” 

Jones  looked  at  his  superior  officer  in  amazement. 

“Double-quick !”  was  the  stern  command,  and  instantly  Ser- 
geant Jones  was  trotting  around  the  tree  at  a great  rate,  hot, 
thoroughly  indignant  and  furiously  angry.  His  awkward 
squad  looked  on. 

Within  an  hour  Jones  had  sent  in  his  resignation.  In 
answer  he  received  an  invitation  to  sup  at  Jackson’s  home.  He 
declined.  Then  came  an  order  for  him  to  report  to  Jackson 
instantly.  After  some  talk  Jones  said; 

“But,  sir,  you  humiliated  me  before  my  men !” 

“You  lost  your  temper,”  said  Jackson,  calmly,  “and  besides, 
you  forget  that  you  are  not  an  officer  at  all.”  That  ended  the 
trouble,  and  now  nobody  more  reverences  the  memory  of  “Old 
Jack”  than  Governor  Jones. 

“stonewall”  in  the  SHENANDOAH. 

A Boston  paper  of  1873  is  credited  as  follows; 

“We  were  travelling  out  of  the  Shenandoah  valley,  and 
manoeuvering  very  successfully  to  draw  Stonewall  Jackson 
along  in  our  rear.  Not  a man  of  us  but  swore  that  the  Rebel 
general  should  not  get  to  Massachussetts  before  we  did,  that 
the  foul  invader  should  not  set  foot  on  the  frontier  of  our 


Story  of  Stonewall  jAcksoN. 


5^9 


native  State  without  finding  us  sternly  confronting  him  in  the 
interior ; and  it  was  only  necessary  to  gaze  once  into  each  sol- 
dier's face  to  see  that  the  hated  enemy  could  not  capture  us 
without  stepping  over  the  boundary  lines  and  violating  the 
territory  of  Maine.  I wished  several  times  during  the  recent 
races  that  I had  the  gray  mare  I rode  through  that  campaign 
here  to  enter  for  some  of  the  purses.  The  bursts  of  speed 
which  that  faithful  creature  showed  on  several  occasions  would 
pass  belief,  if  you  did  not  know  just  how  near  the  detested 
foe  got  to  us  at  times.  It  may  not  be  that  I won  any  spurs 
in  the  Shenandoah,  but  I had  a pair  to  start  in  with,  and  I 
used  them  well  coming  out.  No;  I am  confident  that  none  of 
us  won  any  spurs  down  there,  though  we  played  straight  poker 
for  most  everything  else,  and  I lost  my  blankets  once  to  a 
captain,  who  subsequently  had  no  need  of  them.” — (From 
“Confederate  Veteran.”) 

GENERAL  GRANT  ON  STONEWALL  JACKSON. 

General  Horace  Porter,  in  his  “Campaigning  with  Grant,” 
in  the  Century  Magazine,  relates  this  occurrence: 

“While  our  people  were  putting  up  the  tents  and  making 
preparations  for  supper.  General  Grant  strolled  over  to  a house 
near  by,  owned  by  a Mr.  Chandler,  and  sat  down  on  the  porch. 
I accompanied  him.  In  a few  minutes  a lady  came  to  the  door, 
and  was  surprised  to  find  that  the  visitor  was  the  general-in- 
chief. He  was  always  particularly  civil  to  ladies,  and  he  rose 
to  his  feet  at  once,  took  off  his  hat  and  made  a courteous  bow. 
She  was  lady-like  and  polite  in  her  behavior,  and  she  and  the 
General  soon  became  engaged  in  a pleasant  talk.  Her  conver- 
sation was  exceedingly  entertaining.  She  said,  among  other 
things : “This  house  has  witnessed  some  sad  scenes.  One  of 
our  greatest  generals  died  here  just  a year  ago.  General  Jack- 
son,  Stonewall  Jackson,  of  blessed  memory.” 

“Indeed?”  remarkeu  General  Grant.  “He  and  I were  at 
West  Point  together  for  a year,  and  we  served  m the  same 
army  in  Mexico.” 

“Then  you  must  have  known  how  good  and  great  he  was, 
said  the  lady. 


55°  Story  of  Stonewalt  Jackson. 

“Oh,  yes,”  replied  the  general.  “He  was  a sterling,  manly 
cadet,  and  enjoyed  the  respect  of  every  one  who  knew  him.  He 
was  always  of  a religious  turn  of  mind  and  a plodding,  hard- 
working student.  His  standing  was  at  first  very  low  in  his 
class,  but  by  his  indomitable  energy  he  managed  to  graduate 
quite  high.  He  was  a gallant  soldier  and  a Christian  gentle- 
man, and  I can  understand  fully  the  admiration  your  people 
have  for  him.” — (From  “Confederate  Veteran.”) 

A CANDID  ADVERSARY. 

General  Howard,  of  the  Union  army,  after  describing  the 
rout  of  his  corps  by  Jackson  at  Chancellorsvile,  says  : “ ‘Stone- 
wall’ Jackson  was  victorious.  Even  his  enemies  praise  him; 
but,  providentially  for  us,  it  was  the  last  battle  that  he  waged 
against  the  American  Union.  For,  in  bold  planning,  in  energy 
of  execution,  which  he  had  the  power  to  diffuse,  in  indefatigable 
activity  and  moral  ascendancy,  Jackson  stood  head  and 
shoulders  above  his  confreres,  and  after  his  death  General  Lee 
could  not  replace  him.” 

EXPERIENCE  WITH  STONEWALL  JACKSON. 

Former  Governor  Peter  Turney,  of  Tennessee,  had  a peculiar 
experience  with  General  Stonewall  Jackson.  It  was  in  Vir- 
ginia. Colonel  Turney  had  never  seen  the  General,  but  about 
midnight  received  orders  to  prepare  three  days’  rations  and  be 
ready  to  move  at  a moment’s  notice.  Two  hours  later  came  an 
order  to  proceed  in  a certain  direction,  and  that  at  a certain 
point  on  the  road  he  would  find  a guide.  At  the  point  a citizen 
rode  up,  and,  merely  indicating  the  direction,  rode  along  with 
the  colonel  in  silence.  Before  day  they  came  upon  a plain-look- 
ing man  wearing  a small  cap  and  mounted  on  a little  pony.  He 
fell  in  with  the  head  of  the  column,  and  along  they  rode,  still 
in  silence.  Soon  after  daybreak  the  newcomer  said : 

“Colonel,  had  you  not  better  halt  your  men  for  breakfast?” 

“I  will  before  long,”  was  the  reply.  The  silence  was  only 
broken  half  an  hour  later  by  a similar  suggestion  and  a similar 
reply.  Finally  the  newcomer  stopped,  glancing  around  at  the 
sky  and  landscape  and  said  : 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  551 

“Colonel,  halt  your  men  for  breakfast.” 

Colonel  Turney,  thinking  that  this  was  a plain  countryman, 
who  felt  over-sorry  for  the  men,  did  so.  When  the  march  was 
resumed  the  stranger  remarked  that  the  regiment  was  strag- 
gling a good  deal,  and  when  Colonel  Turney  gave  a command 
for  the  head  of  the  column  to  “Short  step!”  the  stranger  said; 
“No,  that  will  throw  your  men  all  out.  It  should  be  slow-step.” 
This  Avas  a command  to  which  the  Tennesseeans  were  not  ac- 
customed, and,  putting  a private  on  his  pony,  the  stranger  took 
the  head  of  the  column  on  foot  and  showed  the  men  how  to 
march. 

While  this  was  going  on  Colonel  Turney  asked  his  adjutant 
who  the  stranger  was,  and  when  the  reply  came,  “Stonewall 
Jackson,”  you  could  have  bought  the  Colonel  for  a nickel. 

He  was  on  foot,  the  very  head  man,  in  such  proximity  to  the 
enemy  that  the  battle  was  on  in  half  an  hour,  and  yet  teach- 
ing the  soldiers  how  to  march  ! — Memphis  Commercial-Appeal. 

Whittier's  poem  about  general  jackson. 

General  Henry  Kyd  Douglas,  who  was  an  officer  on  the  staff 
of  Stonewall  Jackson,  lectured  in  Cooper  Union.  He  described 
the  entry  into  Frederick,  where  Barbara  Frietehie  lived,  but 
General  Jackson  never  saw  her.  If  she  owned  a United  States 
flag.  General  Douglas  was  never  able  to  find  it  out.  Certain 
he  is  she  never  waved  it  from  her  casement  at  the  Confed- 
erates. 

“General  Jackson  never  even  passed  Barbara  Frietchie’s 
house,”  said  General  Douglas.  “General  Jackson,  just  before 
an  entry  into  Frederick,  had  been  seriously  injured  by  a fall 
from  a horse  that  had  been  presented  to  him  by  some  of  his 
admirers.  We  were  obliged  to  place  General  Jackson  in  an 
ambulance  and  stop  at  Best’s  Grove,  about  three  miles  from 
Frederick. 

“General  Jackson  on  the  following  Sunday  was  taken  to 
Frederick  in  the  ambulance  to  attend  church.  He  did  not 
return  to  town  again  until  the  morning  of  the  supposed  inci- 
dent, September  10,  1862.  Then  we  again  took  him  into  town 
in  the  ambulance.  We  stopped  at  the  corner  of  Patrick  and 


55-  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

Main  streets,  where  he  asked  some  of  the  citizens  misleading 
questions  about  the  surrounding  country.  Then  he  directed 
that  I drive  with  him  to  the  residence  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Ross,  the 
Piesbyterian  clergyman,  whose  church  we  had  attended  on  the 
preceding  Sunday  evening.  It  was  still  so  early  that  Dr.  Ross 
was  not  up,  so  we  left  a card.  ...  We  did  not  pass  Bar- 
bara Frietchie’s  house.  Barbara  Frietchie,  I have  learned  after 
long  and  painstaking  investigation,  was  ninety-six  years  old 
at  that  time.  She  was  helpless  and  almost  blind.  No  soldier 
of  our  army  or  resident  of  Frederick  saw  a flag  at  her  win- 
dow. Her  relatives,  with  whom  I have  talked,  admit  that  there 
is  no  foundation  for  the  story.” 

General  Grant  was  known  by  sight  to  the  Gonfederate  pri- 
vates. One  day,  it  is  said,  in  turning  a corner  he  ran  into  a 
captive  wearer  of  the  gray. 

“General,  where  are  you  going?”  he  inquired. 

“To  Petersburg,  I think,  but  may  be  to  heaven  or  to  hell,” 
was  Grant’s  terse  reply. 

“Well,  I tell  you.  General,”  the  soldier  retorted  drily,  “Bob 
Lee’s  at  Petersburg,  and  Stonewall  Jackson’s  in  heaven.  I 
guess  hell’s  the  only  place  left  for  you.”  Grim  as  the  thrust 
was,  it  is  said  that  Grant  enjoyed  it  immensely. 

A crowd  of  the  college  company  were  whistling  one  even- 
ing like  a glee  club  in  his  adjutant’s  office  at  Winchester.  In 
the  midst  of  their  hilarity  the  General  put  his  head  in  the  door 
and  remarked,  “Young  gentlemen  when  I need  any  whistling 
at  these  headquarters  I will  have  a special  detail  made  for 
the  purpose.” 

THE  STONEWALL  BRIGADE  BAND. 

By  J.  A.  Hiner,  Staunton,  Va. 

The  last  meeting  of  the  United  Gonfederate  Veterans  sur- 
passed all  previous  meetings  in  many  respects,  notwithstand- 
ing the  almost  incessant  rainfall. 

The  most  noteworthy  and  historic  attraction  of  the  great 
reunion  at  Louisville  was  the  famous  Stonewall  Brigade  Band, 
of  Staunton,  Virginia,  which  is  comprised  of  thirty-eight  hand- 
some, athletic  men.  While  there  are  but  six  of  the  original 
veteran  members  in  active  service,  the  others  are  all  sons  of  vet- 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


553 


erans.  It  is  not  only  the  high  degree  of  musical  genius  that 
makes  this  band  celebrated,  but  the  magic  of  its  name,  together 
with  the  glorj"  which  it  has  won  from  the  time  of  its  organiza- 
tion down  to  the  present  day.  This  historic  association  was  or- 
•ganized  in  1855,  under  the  name  of  the  “Mountain  Saxhorn 
Band,”  which  name  it  retained  until  the  commencement  of  the 
war  between  the  States,  at  which  time  it  was  mustered  in  as 
the  Fifth  Virginia  Regiment  Band. 

At  the  first  engagement  the  Stonewall  Brigade  had  with  the 
enemy  the  band  organized  itself  into  a surgeon  corps,  and  so 
faithfully  and  intelligently  performed  field  and  hospital  duties 
that  officers  and  men  recognized  the  value  of  its  services.  In 
all  subsequent  battles  the  band’s  devoted  ministrations  were 
in  requisition,  and  always  promptly  and  faithfully  rendered, 
which  won  for  it  the  proud  name  of  Stonewall  Brigade  Band, 
by  an  order  of  the  immortal  Christian  soldier.  Stonewall,  read 
on  dress  parade  at  Camp  Winder. 

At  Appomattox  General  Grant  issued  an  order  to  allow  the 
members  of  the  band  to  take  their  instruments  home  with  them, 
which  are  now  on  exhibition  in  their  band  hall.  These  instru- 
ments are  probably  the  only  complete  set  in  existence  that  were 
used  during  the  entire  Givil  War,  and  have  attracted  much  at- 
tention in  Northern  cities.  They  were  exhibited  by  the  band 
during  their  engagement  at  the  World’s  Columbian  Exposi- 
tion, in  Chicago,  and  at  the  Louisville  Reunion. 

The  band  occupied  a post  of  honor  at  the  funeral  of  General 
Grant,  in  New  York,  and  has  attended  nearly  all  the  famous 
military  and  civic  demonstrations  in  this  country,  being  the 
only  amateur  band  recognized  by  the  authorities  of  the  World’s 
Golumbian  Exposition. 

This  band  was  not  only  the  pride  of  General  Jackson’s  Bri- 
gade, but  each  member  was  the  personal  friend  of  the  Gen- 
eral, and  he  earnestly  desired  its  perpetuation.  Only  a few 
days  before  his  death  he  expressed  the  wish  that  the  Stonewall 
Brigade  Band  would  continue  to  live  through  the  succeeding 
generations  of  Confederate  soldiers  and  their  sons.  Soon  after 
his  death  the  members  of  the  band  had  a conference  and  decid- 


554 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


ed  that  their  great  general’s  wishes  should  be  held  sacred,  and 
that  the  Stonewall  Brigade  Band  should  live. 

This  noteworthy  company  of  musicians  elicit  the  highest 
praises  and  encomiums  wherever  they  go,  and  the  rendition  of 
the  national  airs  and  Southern  melodies  has  won  for  them 
a world-wide  fame  as  a patriotic  band. 

It  was  indeed  a pathetic  and  touching  scene  to  look  upon  the 
old  veterans,  ex-Federals  as  well  as  ex-Confederates,  who 
crowded  about  the  Stonewall  Brigade  Band  to  hear  the  soulful 
music  of  this  grand  organization  as  they  discoursed  the  patri- 
otic melodies  at  the  memorial  exercises  in  Cave  Hill  Cemetery, 
Louisville.  In  the  eyes  of  many  of  these  old  veterans  could 
be  seen  silent  tears,  because  the  impressive  ceremonies  brought 
back  to  them  memories  of  friends  who  are  no  more. 

The  veterans  were  so  delighted  with  the  Stonewall  Brigade 
Band  that  they  said : “Surely  we  can  never  have  another  re- 
union without  it.” 

The  personnel  of  this  band  is  above  the  average  of  musical 
aggregations.  Their  genteel  deportment  and  manly  bearing  is 
so  exemplified  on  all  occasions  that  they  are  given  ovations 
wherever  they  visit.  The  members  of  the  band  so  ingratiated 
themselves  into  the  good  graces  of  the  Louisville  people  that 
they  were  taken  to  the  homes  of  some  of  the  wealthiest  citi- 
zens and  banqueted  in  the  most  lavish  style,  and  steps  have 
already  been  taken  by  the  management  of  the  triennial  con- 
clave of  Knights  Templars  of  1901  to  have  the  Stonewall 
Brigade  Tjand  participate  in  the  festivities  of  that  notable  gath- 
ering. 

In  this  renowned  musical  organization  the  South  feels  pride. 
This  band  is  proud  of  its  locality,  the  beautiful  Shenandoah 
Valley  of  old  Virginia.  That  valley  was  trampled  and  defaced 
by  the  warring  hosts  who  met  there  in  mortal  combat,  yet 
after  the  surrender,  the  members  of  the  Stonewall  Brigade 
Band  returned  to  their  desolated  homes  and  took  up  the  thread 
of  life  once  more  under  the  most  adverse  circumstances.  Such 
men  as  have  been  members  of  this  band  are  the  true  lifeblood 
of  the  country  to  which  they  belong.  They  elevate  and  uphold 


Storv  of  StojS’ewall  Jackson. 


555 


it,  fortify  and  enable  it,  and  shed  a glory  over  it  by  the  lives 
and  characters  which  they  bequeath. — Confederate  Veterans. 

THE  PIOUS  JACKSON. 

It  is  our  duty  to  keep  the  memory  of  our  heroes  green.  Yet 
, they  belong  not  to  us  alone ; they  belong  to  the  whole  country ; 
they  belong  to  America.  And  we  do  not  seek  to  deprive 
“Americans”  of  the  glory  of  such  heroes  as  we  have  produced. 
Nor  were  their  services  rendered  in  our  war  those  only  which 
claim  grateful  remembrance.  There  was  pious  Jackson,  the 
man  who,  when  he  was  waiting  for  the  troops  to  move  up, 
would,  under  a storm  of  bullets,  be  lost  in  ejaculatory  prayer; 
the  man  who,  when  he  bent  over  a wounded  comrade,  would 
feel  a woman’s  weakness  creep  into  his  eyes ; the  man  who 
came  like  a thunderbolt  when  his  friends  most  needed  him 
and  his  enemies  least  expected  his  coming,  was  the  same  who 
had  marched  into  the  valley  of  Mexico  to  sustain  the  flag  of 
the  United  States.  That  man  who  had  been  the  terror  of  the 
enemy  in  the  hour  of  battle,  but  was  as  peaceful  as  a lamb 
after  the  conflict,  when  he  found  he  was  on  a bed  of  death, 
calmly  folded  his  arms  resigning  his  soul  to  God,  and  saying; 
“Let  us  cross  over  the  river,  and  rest  under  the  shade  of  the 
trees.”  We  do  not  claim  to  appropriate  all  his  glory,  but  we 
hold  dear  every  part  of  him  that  nobody  else  wants. 

The  above  is  copied  from  an  address  made  by  Jefferson 
Davis,  President  of  the  Confederacy,  at  a “secret”  meeting  of 
Southern  Historical  Society  in  New  Orleans. 

DISTINGUISHED  VISITORS  TO  JACKSON. 

General  Bradley  T.  Johnson’s  “Personal  Recollections  of 
Jackson”  contains  many  amusing  incidents  as  General  John- 
son writes  in  a very  pleasing  manner. 

He  speaks  of  a visit  he  took  to  General  Jackson  as  an  escort 
of  some  distinguished  English  visitors  to  the  South  in  1862. 
Among  the  party  were  Mr.  Lawley,  corrspondent  London 
Times j son  of  a peer  and  owner  of  the  largest  paper  in  the 
world,  Mr.  Vizatilli,  another  newspaper  man  and  Wolseley, 
the  major  and  afterwards  commander  of  the  British  Army. 

Jackson  on  being  introduced  to  them  began  immediately  to 


55^  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

engage  them  in  a very  animated  conversation  concerning  their 
own  country  and  showed  such  a fund  of  information  that  all 
were  unable  to  engage  him.  After  some  little  time,  the  visit 
being  over,  they  left  and  General  Johnson  says  they  all  ad- 
mitted that  Jackson  had  been  too  much  for  the  interviewers. 
The  fact  was  Jackson  did  this  to  avoid  any  embarrassing  ques- 
tions and  being  obliged  to  shut  his  visitors  ofif,  which  he  surely 
would  have  done.  This  is  diplomacy. 

LIKED  TASTE  BUT  REFUSED  TO  DRINK. 

He  also  relates  an  instance  in  which  Jackson  likely  heard 
and  did  not  wish  to  be  known  as  to  have  smelt  either.  General 
Johnson  and  Dr.  McGuire  were  both  quite  young,  and  for  that 
matter,  so  was  Jackson,  but  on  this  visit  the  matter  of  drinking 
came  up  and  as  these  two  officers  had  been  taking  a little  of 
fresh  “apple  jack,”  a kind  of  mountain  whiskey  or  brandy,  they 
were  trying  to  hide  from  Jackson  any  hint  of  their  guilt  by  a 
long  discussion  upon  the  evils  of  drink.  To  their  astonishment 
Jackson  said:  “I  like  the  taste  and  the  effects  both;  that’s  the 
reason  I never  touch  it.  General  Johnson  says  “to  this  day  I 
don’t  know  whether  he  smelt  a rat,  for  the  odor  of  the  “apple 
jack”  was  all  through  the  tent.”  This  happened  in  i86i. 

Jackson  did  not  think  it  was  manly  to  have  photographs 
taken  if  only  to  gratify  curious  persons  and  he  was  persuaded 
. by  General  Johnson’s  little  sister  to  have  his  hair  cut  and  pic- 
ture taken.  The  little  girl  told  him  that  his  picture  would  not 
inconvenience  him  and  would  give  a great  deal  of  satisfaction 
to  his  frends. 

(This  picture  appears  in  this  book — taken  in  fall  of  ’62). 
“he  would  not  have  hesitated.” 

General  McLaws,  of  Georgia,  who  was  with  Jackson  and 
knew  him  well,  says:  “If  he  had  been  at  Gettysburg  on  the 
evening  of  July  ist  (Jackson  died  long  before  this  battle), 
when  the  enemy  were  in  full  retreat,  and  in  confusion  on  the 
hill  and  ridge  on  which  the  battle  of  July  3d  occurred,  there 
would  have  been  no  delay  of  his  then  victorious  troops. 

“He  would  not  have  hesitated,  when  he  saw  the  chance  of 
success  offered  bv  the  evident  confusion  of  the  retreating  foe. 


Story  of  StOxN-ewall  Jackson. 


557 


but  would  have  gone  forward  with  his  characteristic  dash  and 
daring,  and  those  important  positions  would  doubtless  have 
been  ours,  and  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  of  the  3d  would  not 
have  occurred.  This  was  the  reputation  he  had  made  for  him- 
self to  last  forever.” 

sj:  ^ ^ 

''swept  everything  before  him.” 

General  Heth,  who  also  served  with  him,  expresses  almost 
the  same  views,  saying  “had  he  been  spared  to  the  Confederacy 
during  the  years  of  1863,  ’64  and  ’65,  it  is  my  belief  that  mat- 
ters would  have  resulted  differently.”  Continuing,  says : “I 
considered  Stonewall  Jackson  the  most  extraordinary  man  as 
a soldier  I ever  met.  Quick  as  lightning  to  take  in  the  situa- 
tion confronting  him,  he  knew  exactly  where  and  when  to  and 
how  to  strike ; when  he  wmuld  strike  he  was  as  irresistible  as  a 
tornado ; he  swept  everything  before  him.” 

generals  in  Jackson's  commands. 

The  following  is  a list  of  some  of  the  generals  who  were  as- 
sociated with  Jackson  in  his  career  as  Colonel,  Brigadier, 
Major  and  Lieutenant  General,  and  were  in  his  brigade, 
division  or  corps  and  fought  with  and  under  him : Trimble, 
Garnett,  B.  T.  Johnson,  Stuart,  R.  H.  Anderson,  Heth,  Ma- 
gruder,  Rodes,  Pender,  Lane,  Taylor,  Doles,  Ashby,  Win- 
der, Branch,  Lawton,  Elzey,  Whiting,  Starke,  Archer,  Gar- 
land, Walker  (J.  A.),  Gregg,  Ewell,  Hays,  Field,  Taliaferro, 
Law,  Hampton,  Early,  Wilcox,  Ripley,  Paxton,  D.  H.  Hill, 
A.  P.  Hill,  Baylor,  Stewart,  Wheat,  Flournoy,  E.  L.  Thomas, 
W.  E.  Jones,  Colquitt,  Iverson,  J.  R.  Jones,  W.  H.  F.  Lee, 
Fitzhugh  Lee,  Stephen  D.  Lee. 

THE  last  salute  TO  STONEWALL  JACKSON. 

J.  A.  Kidd,  Springtown,  Texas,  writes : “When  Stonewall 
Jackson’s  troops  were  on  the  march  the  boys  would  line  them- 
selves up  on  each  side  of  the  road  at  the  approach  of  their  gen- 
eral, and  then  give  the  rebel  yell  and  throw  their  hats  under 
his  horse’s  feet  as  he  dashed  past.  On  these  occasions  the 
gallant  commander  would  leave  his  escort  and  ride  through 


558 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

alone  to  show  his  appreciation.  A.  P.  Hill’s  Division  had  the 
honor  and  glory  of  giving  this  salute  for  the  last  time.  It 
was  in  Alay,  1863.  I heard  a tremendous  shout,  and  looking 
back  in  the  direction  of  Fredericksburg,  I saw  the  familiar 
figure  of  Stonewall  Jackson  approaching.  The  scene  can  not 
be  described.  The  troops  went  wild  with  enthusiasm,  and 
with  one  voice  sent  up  the  old  rebel  yell.  Men  who  had  fought 
unfalteringly  through  many  battles  wept  like  children  as  they 
abandoned  their  scanty  meals  and  rushed  for  a sight  of  then- 
famous  commander.  It  was  the  last  time  his  men  had  oppor- 
tunity to  show  their  great  affection  for  him,  for  it  was  im- 
mediately preceding  his  fall.” 

TRIBUTE  OF  A FOREIGN  WRITER. 

Col.  G.  F.  Henderson,  Professor  in  the  British  Staff  College, 
Camberly,  Surrey,  England,  and  of  the  York  and  Lancaster 
Regiment,  after  writing  an  excellent  book  on  Jackson,  con- 
cludes with  these  words : “When  Jackson  fell  at  Chancellors- 
ville,  his  military  career  had  only  just  begun,  and  the  question, 
what  place  he  takes  in  history,  is  hardly  so  pertinent  as  the 
question,  what  place  he  could  have  taken  had  he  been  spared. 
So  far  as  his  opportunities  had  permitted,  he  had  shown  him- 
self in  no  way  inferior  to  the  greatest  generals  of  the  century, 
to  Wellington,  to  Napoleon,  or  to  Lee. 

“That  Jackson  was  equal  to  the  highest  demands  of  strategy 
his  deeds  and  conceptions  show ; that  he  was  equal  to  the  task 
of  handling  a large  army  on  the  field  of  battle  must  be  left  to 
conjecture;  but  throughout  the  whole  of  his  soldier’s  life  he 
was  never  entrusted  with  any  detached  mission  which  he  failed 
to  execute  with  complete  success. 

“No  general  made  fewer  mistakes.  No  genera!  so  persis- 
tently outwitted  his  opponents.  No  genera!  better  understood 
the  use  of  ground  or  the  value  of  time.  No  general  was  more 
highly  endowed  with  courage,  both  physical  and  moral,  and 
none  ever  secured  to  a greater  degree  the  trust  and  affection  of 
his  troops.  And  yet,  so  upright  was  his  life,  so  profound  his 
faith,  so  exclusive  his  tenderness,  that  Jackson’s  many  victories 
are  almost  his  least  claim  to  be  ranked  amongst  the  w'orld’s 
true  heroes.” 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


559 


NOTES  FROM_  MAJOR  GENERAL  WM.  B.  TALIAFERRO. 

“My  acquaintance  with  General  Jackson  commenced  shortly 
after  the  Mexican  War,  when  one  of  the  members  of  the  Vis- 
iting Board  of  the  Virginia  Military  Institute.  He  was  a man 
quite  distinctly  marked  from  other  people,  reserved,  yet  polite, 
reticent  of  opinions,  yet  fixed  in  the  ideas  he  had  formed ; essen- 
tially averse  to  obtruding  them  upon  others,  but  determined 
and  unflinching  in  their  advocacy,  when  pressed  to  any  expres- 
sion of  them.” 

Speaking  of  the  day — Sunday  morning — when  Jackson’s 
men  at  Port  Republic  were  preparing  for  worship  or  else  bath- 
ing in. the  Shenandoah  River,  he  says  that  he  heard  the  firing 
and  got  his  men  from  the  river  and  was  rushing  them  toward 
the  bridge,  which  was  a covered  one.  When  about  half  way 
across  the  bridge  he  met  Jackson  riding  very  swiftly,  and  adds : 

“He  was  not  excited — he  never  was,  and  never,  under  any 
circumstances  that  I am  aware  of,  lost  his  presence  of  mind  or 
yielded  to  panicky  influences.”  General  Taliaferro,  who  was 
with  Jackson  as  a commander  of  a brigade,  says  the  incident 
as  to  Jackson’s  driving  off  the  Invaders’  artillery  by  the  ruse  of 
which  an  account  is  given  in  this  book,  repeated  from  the  book 
by  Cooke,  is  a mistake,  he  thinks,  as  his  brigade  passed  the 
bridge  and  ran  the  artillery  before  Jackson  got  there  on  his  re- 
turn from  across  the  river. 

One  night  about  midnight,  he  writes,  Jackson  sent  for  him. 
and  going  to  his  headquarters  he  found  him  walking  the 
floor.  He  gave  orders  to  him  to  cross  the  river  “at  early  dawn,” 
a favorite  expression  with  him.  He  then  told  him  to  lie  down  on 
his  bed,  that  he,  Jackson,  would  walk  awhile  in  the  little  gar- 
den attached  to  the  house  where  he  was  making  headquarters. 
“His  object  in  seeking  the  seclusion  of  the  garden  was  to  en- 
gage in  prayer  unseen  by  any  one.  He  was  without  doubt,  a 
genuinely  devout  man.” 

General  Taliaferro  relates  the  danger  Jackson  exposed  him- 
self to  at  one  time  during  the  battle  of  Cedar  Run  Mountain 
(called  by  the  Northern  soldiers  Slaughter  Mountain).  He 
says  Jackson  was  exposed  beyond  all  reason  and  he  told  him 
that  his  position  was  not  one  for  the  commander.  Jackson 


560  Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

looked  at  him  in  surprise,  and  in  a moment  said,  “Good,  good,” 
his  invariable  ejaculation,  and  retired. 

The  General  says  this  battle  was  fought  with  very  bitter  feel- 
ings on  the  part  of  the  Confederate  forces,  on  account  of  Pope’s 
offensive  order  No.  II,  to  which  reference  has  been  made 
herein.  One  of  the  officers  of  the  Invaders’  army,  a General 
Price,  was  captured  and  had  it  not  been  for  a sergeant’s  wit 
he  would  have  been  shot.  This  sergeant  called  out,  when  he 
saw  the  rifles  pointed  at  the  general’s  head,  “Don’t  shoot  him, 
boys,  save  him  to  hang.” 

He  speaks  of  Jackson’s  being  so  shut-mouth  about  his  move- 
ments, and  often  giving  orders  to  his  officers  and  without  any 
explanation  order  them  to  be  ready  to  move  by  “early  dawn.” 
Where,  no  one  knew.  On  one  occasion  the  distinguished  writer 
says  Jackson  simply  ordered  him  to  have  his  brigade  ready  to 
march  at  “early  dawn.”  He  was  ready.  The  sun  rose ; it  was 
a hot  July  morning;  they  were  near  Gordonsville ; no  orders 
came  as  to  direction  to  march  in.  He  went  to  Jackson,  found 
him  at  breakfast,  apologized  for  intruding,  but  asked  if  he 
would  be  allowed  to  march  his  troops  anywhere.  Jackson 
smiled  and  told  him  if  he  knew  the  wav  to  the  Green  Spring 
country  about  fifteen  miles  off,  to  go  there  and  he  would  find  a 
splendid  camping  ground,  which  ’ne  did,  much  to  the  delight  of 
the  troops.  He  moved  Ewell  that  same  day  at  noon,  to  same 
place,  and  they  marched  until  10  p.  m. 

On  another  occasion  he  ordered  General  Taliaferro  to  have 
his  camp  well  policed.  This  would  mean  that  drills,  etc.,  were 
to  be  the  order  of  things  and  no  marching,  but  he  says  he  did 
not  so  construe  it  privately,  and  so  ordered  rations  cooked.  Be- 
fore sunrise  next  day  they  were  marching  in  the  direction  of 
Fredericksburg,  to  cut  off  invaders  near  Rapidan. 

Jackson’s  idea  for  giving  thes^e  two  orders  so  entirely  differ- 
ent, was  to  prevent  visitors  from  knowing  anything.  He  re- 
lates Jackson’s  fondness  for  artillery  and  tells  of  an  incident 
that  shows  how  an  officer  may  become  deeply  engrossed  in  the 
duties  of  a private.  One  day  he  came  to  General  Taliaferro 
and  asked  him  to  go  and  overlook  the  artillery  fire  with  him ; 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


561 


his  staff  he  excused  and  went  alone  with  Jackson.  As  they 
approached  there  was  very  heavy  firing  and  Jackson  would  lean 
over  on  his  horse  and  watch  the  shots  fall  among  the  enemy 
and  exclaim,  “Good,  good,”  sharp  as  a rifle’s  crack.  He  turned 
to  General  T.  and  asked  him  if  he  was  a man  of  family.  The 
general  replied  yes,  that  he  had  a wife  and  five  children,  but 
if  they  stayed  there  there  would  be  a widow  and  five  children ; 
Jackson  said  “Good,  good,”  and  they  galloped  to  the  rear. 
While  they  watched  that  fire,  men  and  horses  were  killed  and 
one  of  Jackson’s  couriers.  “I  have  always  had  a sort  of  sus- 
picion that  his  life  was  saved  that  day  by  his  sympathy  for  my 
children.’* 

A graphic  account  is  given  of  the  race  of  the  Invaders  on 
one  side  of  the  Rappahannock  River  against  the  Defenders. 
So  close  were  the  opposing  forces,  one  on  either  side  of  the 
narrow  stream,  that  the  flags  could  be  seen  frequently;  com- 
pares it  with  march  of  Wellington  and  Massena  in  Spain.  On 
this  march  Jackson’s  star  came  near  declining,  and  this  was 
caused  by  part  of  his  army  crossing,  and  a storm  swelling  the 
river,  endangering  and  exposing  them  to  the  enemy,  marching 
in  great  force  down  on  them. 

Being  placed  to  guard  the  great  stores  captured  during  the 
time,  Jackson  got  in  the  rear  of  Pope  and  took  the  tremendous 
supplies  at  IManassas,  he  was  approached  by  a commissary  of 
the  Invaders,  who  asked  him  to  be  allowed  to  get  an  account 
of  the  goods  under  his  charge,  so  he  could  account  to  his  gov- 
ernment ; the  general  told  him  to  report  “all  destroyed  by  the 
enemy,”  and  that  he  would  take  pleasure  in  auditing  such  a 
report.  The  commissary  told  him  that  it  would  be  a pity  to 
destroy  all  the  vast  quantity  of  whiskey  and  brandy  they  had 
captured  from  his  government,  and  a rundlet  of  cognac  was 
pointed  to  the  general ; about  this  time  Jackson  and  General 
Stuart  rode  up  and  were  asked  to  take  a drink,  but  both  de- 
clined, and  so  he  had  to  drink  to  better  luck  for  his  host  next 
time,  alone. 

On  a night  march  in  the  rush  always  characterizing  Jack- 
son’s advance  movements,  the  infantry  was  annoyed  by  the 
cavalry  pushing  over  them  and  finally  General  Taliaferro  lost 


563 


Story  of  Stoxewati,  Jackson. 


patience  when  a body  of  horsemen  rushed  up,  and  he  did  not 
use  choice  expletives.  When  told  it  was  Jackson  and  staff  he 
told  Jackson  he  was  too  far  in  the  advance  for  the  commander 
and  persuaded  him  to  wait  and  let  troops  pass  to  the  front. 

In  the  winter  of  1862  Jackson  spent  the  quietest  time  of  his. 
army  career.  He  was  at  Moss  Neck,  not  far  from  Fredericks- 
burg and  Chancellorsville.  This  old  and  handsome  residence 
was  offered  Jackson  for  his  headquarters  and  as  he  left,  a 
courier  who  was  holding  his  horse  ventured  to  ask  him  how  he 
liked  the  establishment,  and  Jackson  told  him  he  thought  he 
would  make  it  his  headquarters. 

The  courier  replied,  “I  am  very  much  pleased,  I shall  feel 
honored  that  you  do  so.  I am  Mr.  Corbin,  the  owner  of  the 
property.”  This  illustrates  the  true  courage  and  devotion  to 
their  country’s  cause  of  the  Southern  young  men.  Mr.  Corbin 
owned  one  of  the  most  valuable  and  magnificent  homes  then 
in  the  whole  country,  had  few  if  any  superiors.  As  many  have 
said.  Southern  men  were  born  to  command,  and  by  this,  they 
knew  how  to  obey.  Picture  a prince  as  Mr.  Corbin  was,  occu- 
pying the  position  of  an  unpretentious  courier. 

General  Taliaferro  relates  an  incident  where  Jackson  had  his 
men  go  back  ten  miles  in  the  cold  and  bring  up  part  of  a caisson 
they  had  left  behind.  One  of  the  troops  suggested  to  the  officer 
that  a subscription  be  taken  up  among  the  soldiers  “and  pay 
for  the  thing  and  let  it  lie  there,”  but  this  would  not  have  com- 
plied with  Jackson’s  order — the  old  piece  was  brought  up. 

EXTRACTS  FROM  A PAPER.  THE  REMINISCENCES  OF  GENERAL 
JACKSON  BY  REV.  DR.  GRAHAM,  OF  WINCHESTER. 

“It  is  an  old  proverb  that  ‘you  must  live  with  a man  to  know 
him  thoroughly.’  I lived  with  him ; for  about  two  months  he 
slept  under  my  roof  and  sat  every  day  at  my  table,  and  bowed 
every  morning  and  evening  at  our  family  altar.  He  called 
my  house  his  home.  He  was  with  us  in  all  the  unreserved  in- 
timacy which  characterizes  the  family  relation  and  under  cir- 
cumstances which  could  not  fail  to  bring  into  clear  light  his 
real  character,  as  a man  and  a Christian. 

“And  it  is  due  to  him  to  declare  that  with  my  intercourse 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


563 


with  him,  during  all  that  period,  I can  not  recall  a single  act 
or  word  that  I could  have  wished  were  different,  or  which 
the  most  censorious  could  construe  to  his  disadvantage.  His 
conversation  and  his  bearing  were  invariably  those  of  a digni- 
fied and  refined  gentleman,  thoroughly  familiar  with  all  the 
requirements  of  social  life ; and,  while  carefully  observing 
amenities  and  courtesies  which  true  politeness  exacts,  he  largely 
contributed,  by  his  uniform  cheerfulness  and  thoughtful  con- 
sideraton  to  the  comfort  and  happiness  of  all  about  him.” 

Dr.  Graham  states  that  Jackson  was  popular  with  every 
member  of  the  household,  even  to  the  servants.  That  he  was 
austere  or  morose.  He  was  a man  of  deep  convictions  and 
was  engaged  in  a weighty  struggle  but  while  grave  and  seri- 
ous and  even  stern  at  times  in  his  official  relationships,  he 
was  never  severe.  Those  near  him  could  see  the  brighter  and 
more  attractive  elements  of  his  nature.  His  keen  sense  of 
humor  would  be  hard-suspected  or  that  tenderness  and  affec- 
tionate friendships  of  home  life. 

“No  man  could  have  been  more  considerate  or  more  con- 
genial. Such  reports  were  rife  of  his  peculiarities  as  to  make 
it  a step  of  questionable  expediency,  when  he  proposed  bring- 
ing his  wife  and  coming  to  live  with  us.”  Dr.  Graham  says 
he  did  not  find  Jackson  peculiar.  That  he  was  a simple  gen- 
tleman such  as  we  meet  daily ; that  he  observed  him  carefully 
and  he  was  very  agreeable  when  in  company  private  or  public. 
Relates  Jackson  meeting  at  his  home  persons  of  different  rank 
and  he  was  uniform  in  his  treatment  of  them  and  would  always 
exert  himself  to  be  pleasant,  and  if  any  one  was  dining  with 
the  familv  who  might  feel  abashed  at  meeting  the  general  or 
if  a young  officer  of  his  command  were  present,  he  would  be 
particularly  affable  to  relieve  his  embarrassment.  To  ladies  he 
was  scrupulously  polite. 

“He  was  strictly  methodical.  I believe  not  a meal  was  de- 
laved  one  minute  by  his  failure  to  appear  on  time.  If  to  be 
late  he  would  notify.  He  brought  none  of  the  cares  or  con- 
cerns of  his  office  to  the  table.  He  talked  well  and  when  in 
the  mood  enjoyed  general  conversation.  He  was  a good  lis- 
tener. Prohibited  all  reference  to  campaigns,  or  army  mat- 


564 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


ters.  Past  events  he  would  discuss  as  a common  subject,  but 
of  the  future  not  a word.  He  thought  well  of  McClellan  and 
said  that  if  he  could  handle  his  troops  in  the  field  as  well  as  he 
could  organize  an  army,  he  would  be  invincible.  Once  speak- 
ing of  Doubleday,  the  hero  of  Fort  Sumter,  he  said  he  remem- 
bered him  at  West  Point  and  the  boys  called  him  ‘Twenty- 
four  hours.’ 

Dr.  Graham  says  the  poem,  “Stonewall  Jackson’s  Way,” 
was  not  his  way.  That  there  was  nothing  of  parade,  flourish 
or  irreverence  in  Jackson.  He  mentions  incidents  of  Jackson's 
extreme  modesty,  showing  that  if  the  author  of  the  poem  in- 
tended to  picture  Jackson  as  a man  who  would  cast  pearls 
before  swine,  he  mistook  the  spirit  of  his  general. 

Dr.  Graham  refers  to  a certain  prayer  uttered  by  Jackson  on 
an  occasion  when  he  entered  a meeting  quietly  and  took  a 
seat  far  back  near  the  door.  This  was  a rule  with  him  it 
seems.  He  called  on  “General  Jackson  to  lead  in  prayer,”  and 
the  whole  meeting  was  astir  at  once.  Hear  Jackson  pray ! 
Ah ! who  of  us  would  not  thank  Jackson’s  God  had  it  been  our 
privilege  to  hear  this  humble  servant  of  His  pray?  Jackson 
uttered  a prayer  that  made  a wonderful  impression  upon  all. 
He  prayed  to  God  not  to  men.  He  prayed  for  the  success  of 
the  Confederacy  without  uttering  one  word  of  abuse  against 
his  enemies.  He  taught  others  to  pray  in  this  spirit. 

General  Lee,  it  will  be  noticed  in  part  of  this  book,  gave 
many  evidences  of  his  unbounded  confidence  in  Jackson  and 
refers  to  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville  as  Jackson’s  triumph, 
which  was,  while  eminently  a compliment  from  so  exalted  a 
source,  yet  it  was  merited  and  detracts  nothing  from  the  im- 
mortal Lee’s  fame  in  the  part  he  took  in  this  gigantic  military 
stroke  in  which  the  Invaders  were  so  thoroughly  defeated. 

After  the  war  General  Lee  is  quoted  as  having  said : “Had 
I had  Jackson  with  me  at  Gettysburg,  I would  have  won  that 
battle,  and  a complete  victory  there  would  have  resulted  in  the 
establishment  of  the  independence  of  the  South.”  No  battle 
fought  during  the  entire  war  has  created  likely  the  comment 
generally  that  Gettysburg  caused.  Longstreet  is  blamed  and 
accused  of  negligence.  Lee  himself  resigned  after  the  battle 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson.  565 

and  was  only  persuaded  to  remain  by  weightiest  pressure. 

Jackson,  had  he  lived,  would  have  won  the  battle.  It  is 
generally  asserted  that  had  Lee’s  lieutenants  executed  his 
orders  as  he  intended  they  should  be  executed,  results  would 
have  been  different.  The  confidence  existing  between  Lee  and 
Jackson  would  have  prevented  any  possible  misunderstanding. 

STONEWALL  JACKSON’s  CAP. 

“At  the  conclusion  of  the  Maryland  campaign,  General 
Jackson  presented  to  Captain  Hotchkiss  the  world-famous  ‘old 
gray  cap,’  made  by  Mrs.  Jackson  herself.” 

The  precious  memorial  is  held  by  the  widow  of  Major  Hotch- 
kiss. Some  years  ago  in  an  illustrated  magazine  published  ii 
the  North,  a picture  was  given  of  this  famous  cap.  We  wrote 
Mrs.  Hotchkiss  for  a photograph  of  the  cap,  but  failed  to  re- 
ceive a copy. 

“stonewall  Jackson’s  way.” 

While  this  poem,  now  famous,  does  not  attribute  to  Jackson 
a fanatical  manner,  yet  there  is  in  the  general  tone  of  the  poem 
something  of  the  martinet,  which  he  did  not  possess. 

The  fervor  of  admiration  no  doubt  lead  the  soldier  poet 
into  the  error. 

The  following  is  a sketch  in  brief  of  the  poem : It  was 
written  by  a soldier  at  Oakland,  Alleghany  County,  Maryland, 
and  about  a week  after  the  battle  of  Antietam,  was  lost  by 
the  soldier  in  the  midst  of  the  encampment  of  the  Invaders. 

Some  time  after  this,  the  original  copy  as  written,  was  found 
on  the  body  of  a dead  sergeant  of  the  Invader  army  on  the 
battlefield  near  Winchester.  The  sergeant  evidently  admired 
“Stonewall  Jackson’s  Way”  though  an  enemy. 

“call  them  suffering  angels.” 

After  first  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  General  Jackson  was 
riding  with  one  of  his  division  commanders  past  an  encamp- 
ment at  Corbin’s  Neck.  The  weather  was  horrible,  and  the 
men,  without  tents  and  with  but  few  blankets,  were  stretched 
upon  the  ground,  trying  to  keep  warm  by  log  fires.  The  Gen- 
eral’s companion  was  deeply  impressed  by  the  suffering  of  the 


566 


Story  of  Stonewati.  Jackson. 


soldiers  and  said,  with  much  feeling:  “Poor  devils.”  Jackson 
instantl}'  correcting  him,  said:  “Call  them  suffering  angels.” 

This  was  the  opinion  held  of  the  Southern  soldiery  by  Jack- 
son,  the  man  of  prayer. 

ASKS  PERMISSION  TO  CUT  A TREE  DOWN. 

Before  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  as  related,  Jackson  had 
headquarters  near  the  fine  country  home  of  Mr.  Richard  Cor- 
bin, and  a portion  of  the  time  in  Mr.  Corbin’s  yard.  One  day 
he  asked  Mr.  Corbin’s  permission  to  have  a tree  cut  down, 
stating  that  the  tree  was  about  dead.  Mr.  Corbin  replied: 
“Why,  General,  cut  a tree  down?  Cut  them  all  down  if  they 
are  in  your  way.  Move  the  house  too,  if  you  wish.  In  fact, 
sir,  I shall  feel  honored  if  you  will  act  just  as  though  the  place 
belonged  to  you.”  This  is  related  to  show  Jackson’s  scrup- 
ulous consideration  and  his  soldiers’  devotion. 

“well!  so  am  I.” 

A home-guard  once  bored  General  Stonewall  Jackson  on  the 
Virginia  Central  Railroad.  Elated  with  being  treated  with 
gentlemanly  courtesy,  as  little  expected  as  deserved,  but 
which  General  Jackson  invariably  extended  to  all,  he  pressed 
the  conversation,  and  finally  clinched  it  thus:  “Well,  General, 
where  do  you  intend  to  make  your  next  strike?”  “Are  you  a 
good  hand  to  keep  secrets?”  asked  General  Jackson  earnestly. 
“Oh,  yes,”  breathlessly  responded  the  bore,  inching  up  to  the 
General  to  catch  the  mighty  secret.  “IV ell,  so  am  I!”  the 
General  half  whispered  into  his  ear.  Home-guard  vanished 
and  has  not  yet  reported. 

“PY  TAM,  THE  STHOPPER  COME  OUT  OF  DER  SHUG.” 

The  admiration  for  Stonewall  Jackson  was  by  no  means  con- 
fined to  his  own  section.  The  Federal  prisoners  always  ex- 
pressed a great  desire  to  see  him,  and  some  loudly  cheered  him. 
This  was  particularly  the  case  at  Flarper’s  Ferry,  where  the 
whole  line  of  ii,ooo  prisoners  greeted  him  with  lusty  shouts. 
Citizens  say  that  the  hostile  troops  always  spoke  of  him  in 
terms  of  unqualified  praise.  A gentleman  in  the  Valley  of 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


567 


Virginia  relates  that  when  Fremont  and  Shields  thought  they 
had  entrapped  Jackson  beyond  all  possibility  of  escape,  Sigel’s 
Dutch  soldiers  passed  his  house  crying:  “Shackson  in  er  Shug” 
(jug),  “Shackson  in  er  Shug.”  And  when  they  returned 
crestfallen  from  Port  Republic,  they  answered  the  question  as 
to  what  they  had  done  with  Jackson:  “Py  tarn,  sthopper  come 
out  of  der  shug;  he  gone  py  tarn!  If  you  rebels  don’t  make 
de  president,  Sigel’s  men  make  him.” 

HOW  STONEWALL  GOT  TO  HEAVEN. 

Two  Confederates,  captives  in  a Yankee  prison,  hearing  of 
Stonewall  Jackson’s  death,  held  the  following  conversation: 

“Bill,”  said  one,  “do  you  know  how  Stonewall  got  to  hea- 
ven ?” 

“No;  how  was  it?” 

“Well,  when  the  news  of  his  being  killed  got  to  heaven, 
two  angels  were  sent  to  escort  him  up.  They  went  to  our 
army,  looked  around  the  field  of  battle  and  about  headquarters, 
but  could  not  find  him.  They  went  over  to  the  ‘Feds’  and 
hunted  for  him  there;  and  still  they  could  not  find  him.  So 
after  searching  all  day,  they  gave  up  and  went  back  to  heaven, 
where  they  found  he  had  flanked  them  and  got  there  without 
their  knowing  it.” 

“no  joke.” 

The  following  was  related  to  us  by  the  man  to  whom  the 
“thing  happened.”  He  said  he  had  been  wounded  the  day  be- 
fore and  was  nearly  tired  of  war.  The  day  was  clear  and  he 
went  off  to  find  a little  rest  in  a deep  gully,  somewhat  shaded. 
A companion  was  with  him  and  they  chatted  for  a few  minutes, 
when  our  wounded  friend  (wounded  in  the  head  by  a piece 
of  shell),  fell  asleep.  He  was  aroused,  as  was  his  companion, 
by  the  cheering  and  yelling  of  men  very  near  their  re- 
treat. Our  friend  remarked  : “Look  here  Dave,  this  is  no  fun. 
I got  my  stomach  full  of  fighting  yesterday  and  I thought  ‘Old 
Jack’  had  run  those  Yankees  off.  I don’t  want  to  slink  out  of 
a fight,  but  my  head  aches  and  I am  weak.”  But  he  got  his 
gun  and  they  started  to  the  point  where  they  had  heard  the 


SGS  Stor  V OF  Stonewall  Jackson, 

yelling,  when  to  their  joy  they  saw  “Old  Jack”  riding  swiftly 
down  a line  of  troops,  who  were  cheering  him  like  a battle  was 
resting  on  their  cheers  and  yells.  The  two  companions  glared 
at  each  other  and  the  wounded  one  gave  his  companion  some- 
thing to  think  over  by  saying,  “This  is  no  joke.”  We  pre- 
sume that  man  if  he  is  alive  to-day  thinks  it  was  “no  joke.” 

FEW  OF  Jackson's  convictions. 

During  the  last  illness,  in  fact,  the  only  illness  Jackson 
had  during  his  military  career,  he  gave  evidence  of  his 
thoughts  upon  religious  and  other  matters  and  some  of  his 
expressions  have  been  preserved. 

He  would  frequently  refer  to  the  duty  of  Christians  carrying 
their  religion  into  everything. 

He  said : “Christianity  makes  a man  better  in  any  lawful 
calling;  it  makes  a general  a better  commander,  a shoemaker  a 
better  workman;”  and  refers  to  lack  of  punctuality  on 
the  part  of  tailors  and  shoemakers  being  caused  by  their  failure 
to  carry  Christianity  into  their  business;  as  a rule,  he  says  com- 
manders of  an  army,  at  the  critical  hours,  it  calms  his  per- 
plexities, moderates  his  anxieties,  steadies  the  scale  of  judg- 
ment, and  thus  preserves  him  from  exaggerated  and  rash  con- 
clusions. He  said  that  if  men  would  search  the  Scriptures,  that 
they  would  find  precept,  an  example,  or  a general  principle, 
applicable  to  every  possible  emergency. 

He  turned  round  to  one  of  his  attendants  and  officers  and 
said : “Can  you  tell  me  where  the  Bible  gives  generals  a model 
for  their  official  reports  of  battles?” 

The  lieutenant  laughingly  answered  that  it  had  never  oc- 
curred to  him  to  examine  the  Scriptures  in  search  of  such  in- 
formation. Jackson  replied;  “Nevertheless,  there  are  such, 
and  excellent  models,  too.  Look,  for  instance,  at  the  narration 
of  Joshua’s  battle  with  the  Amalekites ; there  you  have  one.  It 
has  clearness,  brevity,  fairness,  modesty,  and  it  traces  victory 
to  its  right  source — the  blessing  of  God.” 

One  day  he  asked  Dr.  McGuire  whether  he  supposed  the  dis- 
eased person  healed  by  the  miraculous  touch  of  the  Saviour 
ever  suffered  again  from  same  malady.  He  said  he  didn’t  be- 


Story  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 


lieve  they  did;  that  Christ’s  healing  was  too  potent.  To  the 
paralytic  Christ  said,  “Be  thou  healed.”  He  also  asked  one  of 
his  lieutenants  where  the  headquarters  of  Christianity  was  after 
the  crucifixion ; asked  them  to  give  him  a map  of  the  Bible,  ' 
as  he  wished  to  locate  precisely  Isnium,  and  when  map  was 
found  that  they  should  report  to  him. 


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